THE 



PERFECT GOSPEL 



J. B. MOODY 







Class 15/ £3% ( 

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Gopight N?_ 



CDEMRiGtlF DEPOSIT. 



THE 

PERFECT GOSPEL 



BY 

J. B. MOODY 



Published By 

BAPTIST BOOK CONCERN 

Louisville, Ky. 






Copyrighted, 1922 

BY 

Baptist Book Concern 



DEC -1 "22 

©C1A692291 



'Vic? J 



PREFACE 

THE PERFECT GOSPEL (Rom. 1: 16) 

Nature is studied by the use of telescopes that make 
things afar off appear near; also with microscopes that 
make small things appear large, and also by X-ray that 
brings hidden things to light. This suggests some like 
process in the study of the Bible, especially the Gospel, 
which has its distant, small and hidden truths for our 
research. Christ invited the highest criticism when He 
said, "SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES." So Paul when 
he said, "PROVE ALL THINGS, AND HOLD FAST 
TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD." "Higher criticism" m 
the right spirit should bring only right results. What 
has been more perverted than "the glorious Gospel of the 
Son of God"? The many varying translations, and the 
many more conflicting interpretations point to present 
conditions. The author has labored to throw light on 
these perversions of "the way of truth." Not along the 
line of simple doctrines and plain, practical duties, but 
to explain some difficult doctrines and their adjustment 
to other doctrines, and to practical duties growing out of 
them; and to help the student over some hard places. 
The Perfect Gospel rightly interpreted should bring all 
"to see eye to eye and to speak the same things" — both 
unity and union which is required. The spirit of truth 
would overcome denominational bias and would "make 
us free. 



INTRODUCTION 

For more than a half century the author of this 
remarkable volume has been recognized as one of our 
ablest speakers and writers. Through the many years 
of his ministry he has pursued his studies with "eternal 
vigilance," and now, ripe in years, grace and scholarship, 
he gives to the world his greatest book. 

It would have, perhaps, been impossible to have chosen 
one, in every way, better qualified for writing a book 
of this character. Endowed with an exceptionally clear 
and discriminating mind, and years of ceaseless study, he 
is preeminently qualified to interpret the "Perfect 
Gospel." 

Our people, generally, will welcome with delight and 
gratitude the appearance of this, his latest and greatest 
contribution to our denominational life and welfare. 

Of many a book it may be said, "When you have read 
it, you are done with it"; but when you have read this 
volume, you have only begun with it. It richly deserves 
a wide reading and a careful study. 

Blessings upon the book and its gifted author! 

J. W. Porter, D.D., LL.D. 



INDEX 

The Gospel, like Nature, "includes too much for one 
view. The Index has seventeen general divisions, but 
these include some fifty constituent items, and these are 
examined in detail, to ascertain if there is any imperfec- 
tion in any one ; for if one is defective then the whole is. 

Chapter Page 

I. I Am Not Ashamed of the Benevolence of the 

Gospel < 

II. I Am Not Ashamed of the Invitations of the 

Gospel 16 

III. I Am Not Ashamed of the Means of the 

Gospel 19 

IV. I Am Not Ashamed of the Demands of the 

Gospel 26 

V. I Am Not Ashamed of the Power of the 

Gospel 30 

VI. I Am Not Ashamed, of the Effect of the 

Gospel 36 

VII. I Am Not Ashamed of the Extent of the 

Gospel 43 

VIII. I Am ' Not Ashamed of the Order of the 

Gospel 73 

IX. I Am Not Ashamed of the Antiquity of the 

Gospel 89 

X. I Am Not Ashamed of the Emphasis of the 

Gospel 116 

XI. I Am Not Ashamed of the Logic of the 

Gospel 124 

XII. I Am Not Ashamed of the Assurance of the 

Gospel 138 

5 



6 INDEX 

Chapter Page 

XIII. I Am Not Ashamed of the Providence of the 

Gospel 153 

XIV. I Am Not Ashamed of the Provisions of the 

Gospel ^ . . . 160 

XV. I Am Not Ashamed of the Principle of the 

Gospel 166 

XVI. I Am Not Ashamed of the Author of the 

Gospel 186 

XVII. I Am Not Ashamed of the Definition of the 

Gospel 197 

With Some Thirty-five Other Items of the Gospel 
Included in the Above. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel : for it is the power of 
God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, 
and also to the Greek. 

17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith 
to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all 
ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men. who hold the truth in 
unrighteousness ; 

19 Because that which may be known of God, is manifest in 
them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 

20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the 
world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are 
made, even Ins eternal power and Godhead; so that they are 
without excuse: 

Shame is a sense of mortification arising from a con- 
scious and recognizable imperfection or shortcoming, as 
compared to any established standard. A deficit in char- 
acter or dress produces shame when the standard pre- 
vails, — the first from experience, the second from recog- 
nition. Also imperfections in education, etiquette, 
finance, etc., produce shame. But in the place of shame 
those who can meet the requirements are proud and 
inclined to boast, as Paul often did. Paul had both an 
experimental and rational view of the gospel. Both his 
heart and 'head testified in his boastful utterances. In 
addition to these, the Holy Spirit indited the text, and 
that puts the gospel standard to the uttermost limits. 

In the following discussion I will try to subject the 
tests to the divine standard. When Christ said: "Search 

7 



8 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

the Scriptures," he invited criticism as he usually did 
about everything. Not only criticism, but high, higher, 
and the highest. 'Trove all things and hold fast to that 
which is good," is another challenge, and there are many, 
others. But the' present gospel has been so lowered and 
corrupted that it may appear to us imperfect, but as it 
was at first, inbreathed by God, it was perfect — every 
word of it with every jot and tittle. Manuscripts are 
copies made by men, and translations are of men, hence 
their imperfections. Interpretations also require cautious 
reception. Now, we can know only in part. What is 
called Higher Criticism, if made in the right spirit, would 
never have found any imperfection in the Word of God, 
including Moses, Prophets, Psalms, Christ, and Apostles. 
The textual order would be, first, Personal Testimony: 
"I," for my roaring-lion disposition was instantly 
changed into the neekness of a lamb. My nature was 
not only changed, but it gave me a new heart, and I was 
ready and eager if need be, to lay down my life for Him, 
whom I, in all good conscience bitterly persecuted. The 
Power of the Gospel did a radical work in me at first, 
and it will be perfected unto the end. This Power of 
God, so manifest in me, was more gloriously exhibited in 
giving up His only begotten Son. This Power of God 
was so severely taxed that God had to withdraw from 
the agonies of the Cross. This power will continue to be 
exerted until the whole curse shall be removed by Re- 
demption, "bought with a price — even the precious blood 
of Christ." Second, THE EFFECT of the gospel is 
"UNTO SALVATION," to which nothing can be added, 
even by God Himself. No imperfection in this salvation 
as we will see. Third, THE EXTENT of this blessing is 
to all hearers WHO BELIEVE. The subjects of address 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 9 

are the responsible ones, yet an overflow to all who are 
not responsible. I would be ashamed of a Gospel with 
any other extent. On this item the devil has done his 
worst. Fourth, THE GOSPEL ORDER is righteous, as 
we will see — "first to the Jew, and also to the Greek." 
Fifth, The Gospel Revelation is also Perfect, revealing 
the Righteousness of God, from faith to faith. Sixth, 
The Gospel Program is also without fault, in that those 
who were justified by faith, must also live and serve 
by faith. The only possible way. Seventh, Righteous 
judgment also reveals the wrath of God against all anti- 
godliness and antirighteousness of men who hold down 
the truth in antirighteousness; for which there is no 
excuse, not even by the heathen, who know not God. 
But instead of following the textual order, or the Theo- 
logical order, we will pursue the Instructive order, which 
begins with the first and simplest lessons and principles, 
and proceed to the more difficult. So you will find the 
"Author of the Gospel" and the "Definition of the 
Gospel" at the end, because they involve so much to try 
the intellect and the faith of gospel subjects and students. 
I fear these will be taxed all the way through the book. 
So we begin with the simplest: I AM NOT ASHAMED 
OF THE BENEVOLENCE OF THE GOSPEL. Then 
come the Invitations; the Means; the Demands, etc. — 
harder and harder, and deeper and deeper. This allows 
of ways and means for growth. This course is adopted 
by all schools and colleges. BENEVOLENCE is held 
in high esteem among even natural men and they have 
many Benevolent organizations and they often boast of 
their superior benevolence. And it may be superior to 
Individual, and Ecclesiastical, and Christian benevolence, 
but it can't be compared to the Benevolence taught in the 



10 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

Gospel, which is the Benevolence of God. Benevolence 
is very meager where the Gospel has not been preached, 
and they have poor benevolent institutions, if any. 
Hospitals for the sick may grow out of a sense of danger 
rather than from a sense of sympathy. The Benevolence 
of the Gospel has no restrictions, and is sufficient for all 
needs. Not so with Benevolent Institutions of men. 

Take Masonry, of which I happen to know something, 
and which perhaps stands at the head of benevolent fra- 
ternities. I have heard unwise Masons boast of the 
superiority of Masonic Benevolence, from which I would 
not detract ought, but rejoice rather in all they have, 
or all that others may have. But I am here to boidly 
affirm, that I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE BENEVO- 
LENCE OF THE GOSPEL, AS COMPARED TO 
MASONIC BENEVOLENCE. They provide a fund of 
benevolence, and they have a perfect right to dispense it 
as they will, because it is necessarily very limited, and 
cannot go far in supplying the demand. They have a 
right to limit to themselves, and their wives, their sons 
and their wives, etc., or to restrict it to those of a certain 
age, color, faith and sex, as when I was made a Maso,n; 
and to require a man to be sound in mind, morals and 
members, etc. Their limited fund for benevolence is a 
great defect, and this requires limits to its distribution. 
But the gospel would require the distribution to go to 
the most NEEDY, instead of the most deserving. There 
are millions of bony hands of want extended for Masonic 
Benevolence, and no provision made to supply them, for 
there is not enough to go around. If the fund MIGHT 
be larger, then it OUGHT, and there is one defect ; and 
if the most NEEDY are the proper beneficiaries then 
there is another defect. There are no such limitations 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 11 

and wrong distributions in the benevolence of the gospel. 
The supply is ample, the invitations are universal, and 
whosoever will, let him come and partake freely. 
CHRISTIAN benevolence and CHURCH benevolence, 
like MASONIC benevolence may be defective, but the 
Benevolence of the Gospel is without fault, hence nothing 
to be ashamed of. 

Try it another way. DEFINITIONS, like reputations 
and tombstones are often highly colored or exaggerated, 
but I am bold to say again, that I AM NOT ASHAMED 
OF THE BENEVOLENCE OF THE GOSPEL, WHEN 
COMPARED TO THE DEFINITIONS OF BENEVO- 
LENCE. It was first defined as "wishing the greatest 
HAPPINESS of the greatest number," which was im- 
proved to "wishing the greatest GOOD to the greatest 
number." Put both together, and make it, wishing the 
greatest good and the greatest happiness to the greatest 
number^ yea the whole number, and I am not ashamed 
of the Benevolence of the Gospel as compared to that 
definition. Let it include physical, personal, social, civil 
and religious good and happiness of all men, beasts and 
birds, and creeping things, and the Benevolence of the 
gospel will stand the test. Let us look at the defects 
in the practical operations of HUMAN benevolence of 
the highest order. Leprosy, small-pox, yellow fever, and 
other contagions require quarantine and segregation. 
The greatest good and the greatest happiness of the. 
greatest number require it, but it is poor leper, and poor 
patient. Some must sacrifice and be sacrificed for others. 
I knew a town at the mercy of a conflagration. An 
arrest of the flames was thought probable by the destruc- 
tion and removal of a certain house on the corner, with 
a vacancy on either side. It proved successful, but the 



12 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

house was the only support of a widow. As the house was 
doomed she could not object, but it was poor widow. 
The greatest good and the greatest happiness of the 
greatest number required it, but compensation could not 
justly be demanded. So the PRACTICAL operation of 
the rule proves defective, because some must sacrifice and 
be sacrificed for the good and happiness of the others, 
and that without compensation. 

Now, I do not deny that the gospel requires the sacri- 
fice of self and substance for the greatest good and the 
greatest happiness of the greatest number; but I do 
affirm THAT PROVISION IS MADE FOR ALL SUCH 
SACRIFICES. Yea, the greatest good and the greatest 
happiness come to all who make the greatest sacrifices 
for the greatest good and the greatest happiness of the 
greatest number. Instead of loss, as in human affairs, 
the gospel provides the greatest gain. "There is no one 
who has forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, 
or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for the gospel's 
sake, but shall receive a hundred fold more, and shall 
inherif everlasting life." According to the gospel in 
Matt. 16:25, etc., the greatest loss is in the greatest gain, 
and according to Matt. 19:29, the greatest gain is in 
the greatest loss. This is a part of the answer given to 
Peter, who said to Him: "We have left all and followed 
thee. What shall we have therefor?" The reward was 
millennial kingship — sitting on thrones for 1,000 years, 
judging Israel, and judging the world, and judging 
angels. 

Joseph went through suffering and sacrifice to the 
throne of Egypt. And "Moses, when he had come to 
years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daugh- 
ter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 13 

of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the 
treasures of Egypt, for he had respect to the recompense 
of reward." "These light afflictions which are but for 
a moment, work out for us a far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory." Here we have affliction and 
glory set over against each other, but we could not choose 
unless we had the amount and duration of each. An 
eternal weight of affliction for a light momentary glory 
is what the world gives, but light affliction for a moment, 
set over against an eternal weight of glory, with "far 
more, exceeding" added to it, is God's rule of giving 
"good measure, heaped up, shaken together, pressed 
down, and running over." And all of this is compensa- 
tion for our sacrifices for the greatest good and the 
greatest happiness of the greatest number. This is the 
Benevolence of the gospel of which Paul was not 
ashamed. Does it come up to the standard? Is there 
any defect in it? The gospel, to be perfect as a whole, 
must be perfect in all of its parts. 

But let us test Benevolence another way. Let us try 
it by the LAW, which is "good," "pure," "perfect," "just," 
and "holy." The Law magnifies righteousness and jus- 
tice; the Gospel magnifies mercy and Benevolence. The 
law says "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, 
and life for life," which is just and right. The lesson 
must be learned by once-born men, but second-born men 
advance to a higher and holier lesson. The Gospel says, 
"love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good 
to them that hate you, and pray for them that despite- 
fully use you." "If one smite thee on one cheek, turn 
the other also; and if they compel you to go a mile, go 
two; and if by law they take thy coat, give them your 
cloak also." How is that for Benevolence? Can you 



14 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

think or imagine any improvement? This Benevolence 
is not to be held as a SENTIMENT, but is to be PRAC- 
TICED in all our intercourse with men. Christ prac- 
ticed it. After those woes in Matt., 23d chapter, he 
closes thus: "0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem! thou that killest 
the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, 
how often WOULD I have gathered thy children to- 
gether, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her 
wings, and ye would not." While on the cross, and while 
they were reviling, and deriding, and mocking him, he 
prayed thus: "Father forgive them, for they know not 
what they do." "Being reviled he reviled not again, and 
when he suffered he threatened not," although he could 
have called all the legions of angels to his help. How 
is that for an EXAMPLE of practical Benevolence? 
Do you say that he was DIVINE, and we cannot come 
up to such a requirement of Gospel Benevolence? See 
Stephen, the first Martyr after Christ. He had preached 
about such a sermon as Christ preached in Matt. 23. 
After telling them the truth about themselves "they were 
cut to the heart, and gnashed on him with their teeth," 
and stoned him to death. But when the Martyr saw his 
end at hand, he commended his spirit to the Lord, and 
after this, he got on his knees, and "cried with a loud 
voice, LAY NOT THIS SIN TO THEIR CHARGE." 
"And when he had said this he fell asleep." Do these 
last words of the first Christian Martyr come up to the 
standard of Gospel Benevolence? What more could he 
have done or said to improve it? 

Put Paul on the witness stand. In II Tim. 4, lie 
mentions those who forsook him, and those who resisted 
him. At his first answer none stood with him, but all 
forsook him. How did he treat them? "I pray God 
that it may not be laid to their charge." 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 15 

For the right rule of Christian living, read Luke 
6:27-38. Can you find any fault in such Benevolence 
and Beneficence? We close the consideration of this, one 
of the first principles of the gospel, by repeating: "I AM 
NOT ASHAMED OF THE BENEVOLENCE OF THE 
GOSPEL." There is no imperfection in it. 



Chapter II 

I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE INVITATIONS 
OF THE GOSPEL. Here is not only an exhaustless 
fund of benevolence, sufficient for all, but so hedged 
about that only a few can get at it; no, the door is wide 
open, and the invitations are UNIVERSAL and IN- 
TENSIVE. How are these: "Look unto me all ye ends 
of the earth, and be ye saved, for I am God, and beside 
me there is no other." Isa. 45:22. "Ho every one that 
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no 
money, come ye, buy and eat, yea come buy wine and 
milk and honey without money and without price. * * * 
Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is 
good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline 
your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall 
live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, 
even the sure mercies of David." Isa. 55. 

Coming from the Old to the New, all disciples have 
positive orders to make disciples of ALL NATIONS, and 
to preach the gospel to ALL CREATION. Christ 
said: "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink." 
He urged it upon the vilest of the vile, and never denied 
one who came. He closes Revelation by saying, "I, the 
root of David and the bright and morning star, say 
come; and the Spirit and the Bride say come, and let 
him that heareth say come, and let him that is athirst 
come, and whosoever will, let him come and take the 
water of life freely." Could he make the invitations 
more EXTENSIVE? Did he leave anyone out? 

16 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 17 

Now try their INTENSIVENESS. He told us not 
only to INVITE all; but to PERSUADE, EXHORT, 
BID, BRING, COMPEL, and PLUCK as brands from 
the burning. The language in II Cor. 5:19-20 is as- 
tounding. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to 
himself, and this word of reconciliation he committed to 
us. We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, 
as though God were entreating them by us ; . we pray 
them on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God." Thus, 
God in Christ, and Christ in us, "beseeching" and "en- 
treating" the world to be reconciled to God. These words 
are often translated "pray." Think of God praying sin- 
ners to be reconciled to him. Is not that the limit 
of INTENSIVENESS? Did not Lydia CONSTRAIN 
Paul and Silas to abide at her house? Not only are 
all sent to invite all, but they must do it with all their 
might. We must improve every opportunity, and then 
"buy up opportunities," and if we can't do that, then 
beseech "with and without opportunities." Christ did 
not excuse himself at the well. Circumstances were very 
forbidding. It was not customary for Jew and Samaritan 
to talk thus, nor for man and woman, and especially a 
woman of bad character. But she had a soul to save, 
and as he came to seek and to save that which was lost, 
he threw his gospel hook at her, and caught her. Paul 
before Festus and Felix and Agrippa, being tried for his 
life, had a poor opportunity to preach the gospel, as he 
was being tried for that, but he fished for these kings, 
to whom he was sent, and one was "almost persuaded," 
and the other trembled and begged for further time. He 
appealed to Csesar, and he fished and got some of his 
household. A runaway slave came to his jail, and he 
caught him for the Lord, and sent him home rejoicing. 
He said "he could wish himself accursed from Christ for 



18 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

his kinsmen, the Jews"; and "that his heart's desire and 
prayer to God for Israel was that they might be saved." 
Paul was willing to become all things to all men, that 
by all means he might save some. The invitations being 
all God could make them, both Extensively and Inten- 
sively, I conclude "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE 
INVITATIONS OF THE GOSPEL." There is no fault 
in either the Benevolence or the Invitations of the gospel. 
I have learned by divine grace not only to boast of th€ 
UNIVERSALITY of Gospel Benevolence and Invita- 
tions, but also to glory in the SPECIAL APPLICATION 
of these benefits. The universal Invitations leave results 
with men, and the results are OF men; but SPECIAL, 
SOVEREIGN, APPLICATION, secures results that are 
of God, and more glorifying to God, and profitable to 
men than could have resulted from the other. 



Chapter III 

MEANS 

Let us now pass from Benevolence and Invitations to 
a third item of the Gospel. Loudly would I affirm: 
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL MEANS. 
Lest the Invitations and Exhortations and Persuasions 
etc., should fail, grace has ordained additional help to 
induce acceptance of the Benevolence. Not conditions 
of salvation — God forbid, as that would insure universal 
and inevitable failure. No fallen man could comply 
with any condition that infinite justice could make, and 
note, conditions are of law and not of grace, and the 
law has proven a perfect failure to save, by reason of 
the weakness of the flesh. The natural man of himself 
can't "be," and "see," and "hear," and "feel," and "under- 
stand," and "discern"; and of himself can't "repent," 
and can't "pray," and can't "come," and can't "believe," 
and can't "hope," and can't "love." All of these are 
necessary prerequisites, and can be effected by Means, 
but not one could be complied with as a Condition to 
be met and performed by a lost, undone sinner. Thanks 
be unto God for Means instead of Conditions. There 
is a "WAY," and only one way of Salvation. There 
are Means and Instrumentalities to be used ON sinners, 
and FOR sinners, rather than Conditions to be performed 
BY sinners. Quinine is a means to an end that God 
may or may not bless, but it if were a conditional rem- 
edy, then none could get well without it, and none could 
die with it. Just take the medicine and leave God and 

19 



20 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

prayer and human helps out. This would be an ice-cold, 
selfish, Godless, friendless process, leaving neither room 
for thanksgivings nor supplications. Perish the thought ! 
If salvation were Conditional, then every sinner would 
have to go up to heaven and bring Christ down, and 
crucify him and bury him, and then go down into the 
abyss and bring him up from the dead. These were the 
conditions of salvation. The Gospel is defined as the 
death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Redemption, 
regeneration, forgiveness, justification, etc., are necessary 
but not conditions to be performed by us, thank God. 
These are affected by divine power through Means, in- 
cluding men and instrumentalities. But the devil, who 
invented the so-called conditions, has also perverted the 
Means. I am inexpressibly ashamed of the means that 
are being used by the so-called Christian world. What 
has the devil and his agencies used as Means of salva- 
tion? Sword, axe, thumb-screw, gibbet, fire, water, 
prisons, conscriptions, pilgrimages, penances, immola- 
tions, stratagems, frauds, fables, blind credulities, super- 
stitions, lying relics, fruit of the body for sin of the soul, 
priestly absolutions, masses, sacraments, works, ad libi- 
tum ad nausium, all of which and many more like them 
I denounce as devices of the devil and are all means of 
damnation, and never resulted in the salvation of a soul. 
I do not say that none such are saved, but not saved by 
those means, but in spite of them. Conditions and false 
means never saved any one, nor are they saved by them 
or through them. Salvation is through ordained Means. 
God made everything good, but left them all to be per- 
fected by instrumentalities and Means. Vegetables in 
their natural state are good, but see what improvement 
has come by the use of Means. Compare the strawberry 
in its wild state to its developed state. Compare the 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 21 

apple in its wild state to those best developed. And so 
of animals. Compare the wild horse to the thousand, 
or ten thousand dollar horse. So of the cow, the sheep, 
the hog, the dog, the chicken, turkey, duck, goose, guinea 
and all the rest. Why the difference? The answer can 
not be gainsaid. God saw he would be more glorified 
in making these things good, and then call in man as a 
partner, or instrumentality, and put Means in man's 
hands to be used for their improvement. Thus God 
began the work and carried it on by the help of man 
and Means. This is better for man and more glorifying 
to God. Yea, man himself in his natural state must be 
thus improved. 

If this improvement in man does not hold good in the 
physical it is because man has abused the means of his 
physical development. But it is the mental, moral and 
spiritual that characterize man. God gave man a mind 
suspectible of improvement by ordained means. How 
does a wild man compare mentally with the best edu- 
cated? How was he educated? By men and means and 
money. God could have given men perfect knowledge, 
so means would not be necessary, but his wisdom devised 
the other as the best way. So God gave man a moral 
nature, and moral perceptions, and desires, but left this 
also to be developed by means. The wild man, in morals, 
is no better than a monkey. The difference between a 
"good man" and a "bad man" is the result of the use of 
men and moral means. The man who would deny all 
of this must be a natural lunatic. In hating means, he 
hates the God of means and loves death and destruction. 
The same is tremendously true in" spiritual things. The 
beginning of our new nature and spiritual life is the gift 
of God, and is good and very good. But God saw that 
in this also the use of men and means would redound to 



22 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

his glory and man's good. The new-born babe must be 
fed on milk and then on meat, and must be' developed 
as in the natural man. These new-born babes must grow 
to the full statue of men and women in Christ Jesus. 
They must "become strong in the Lord and in the power 
of his might." How? By the use of means that God 
ordained to that end. God made them perfect in some 
things but left them to BECOME perfect in other things, 
because he saw he could use men and means for the good 
of all and for his glory. Compare the wild ass of a 
preacher to Moses and Paul and Spurgeon, and the glori- 
ous difference is to the credit of human and Divine co- 
operation. Who can deny it but a spiritual lunatic? A 
nation or denomination that did not believe in, and use 
means and instrumentalities, would not advance in either 
natural or spiritual things, and wherein they have par- 
taken of the benefits of improvement unconsciously by 
their surroundings, if they had their own way, they 
would relapse into barbarism. They claim to be taught 
of God. But wherein they have been taught of God, 
so with all saints. Then why should they as men 
try to teach others? What God teaches, he alone can 
teach, but he ordained human teachers whom he has 
taught the first lessons, and they must study and learn 
out of his word and providence, by the help of those 
who have learned, and then to go and teach others. But N 
how can they teach others what they have not learned 
themselves? In condemning human agency and means 
and teaching, they condemn themselves, for their ha- 
rangues are efforts at teaching, and very feeble efforts 
at that. 

Then what are the ordained Means of salvation? They 
may all be summed into one word, and that I am not 
ashamed of. As the Jews ignorantly crucified the 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 23 

Saviour, so Col. Ingersoll ignorantly ridiculed the Means 
of salvation, because he saw only the false means referred 
to above, and these I hate as much as he did. I would 
not want a salvation or any other result of such means. 
The one word that expressed all the means is 

TEACHING. 

The Author of the Gospel came as a Light into the 
world, and light stands for truth, which is imparted by 
Teaching. He was a teacher rather than a preacher. 
He taught truths that could not otherwise have been 
known. Hence the Bible is a Revelation of truths, begin- 
ning with creation and before, and ending with its de- 
struction and after. The Bible is no appeal to blind 
credulity. Christ urged the "searching" of the Scriptures, 
which word implies the severest analysis and criticism 
in the Spirit of truth. The word teach occurs twice in 
the Commission, and the first word means teaching con- 
cerning his character, the other his doctrines. Teaching, 
convincing, and conviction must come before exhortation 
and persuasion. All things must be proved, and no one 
is asked or allowed to believe or do anything until he 
is convinced by satisfactory teachings and proof that the 
things to be believed are truths, and the things to be 
done are right. On Pentecost, Peter so taught as to 
convince the Jews that they had murdered the Lord of 
glory, and not until they were convicted of the truth, 
and cried out for help, did he give further instruction. 
In Acts 5:20 the Angel of the Lord told the Apostles to 
"Go, stand in tlje temple and speak to the people all the 
words of this life. And early in the morning they entered 
in the temple and TAUGHT." In verse 25 they were 
found "Teaching the people." 

They were again commanded not to teach as they were 



24 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

filling Jerusalem with their teaching. That was the only 
charge. After they were "beaten and commanded again 
not to teach," they continued daily in the temple and 
from house to house TEACHING. That is what Christ 
came into the world for, and that is what he sent his 
church to do. Teach about law, and sin, and its conse- 
quences. And when they learn the truth of that, teach 
them Repentance, and prayer, and faith; and when they 
have learned these, teach them how to make profession 
of it, and their duty to come out on the Lord's side, and 
to live for truth and righteousness, and they are to be- 
lieve nothing, and do nothing, till they are convinced that 
it is right and duty. Involution is from the teaching 
that is without, and evolution is from the conviction that 
is within, like growths of plants and trees. Get the life 
in and let it work itself out. 

Rocks grow by accretion, but things that have life 
don't grow that way. So-called Christianity is a system 
of blind credulity, as much so as the heathen religions, 
but there is one pure and undefiled religion that is char- 
acterized by knowledge and assurance, and that answers 
all the demands of both the mind and heart. And if 
there be truths that are too deep for the mind, they are 
revealed to faith, but in a way that satisfies the heart 
as well as those that are comprehended by the mind. 
Reason can't comprehend the length and breadth, and 
height, and depth of the love of God, but the mind can 
apprehend some of it, and the heart can apprehend it still 
more, and the rest is sufficient for any development 
"from faith to faith"; being assured all of the way by 
the witness that is within, testifying with our spirits. 
"Taught of God." 

The terms and commands of the gospel are not arbi- 
trary but reasonable. If two men are at enmity, they 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 25 

need a days-man, or peace-maker, to reason with them, 
and to help find where the trouble is, and which is to 
blame. Having convinced the transgressor, he teaches 
that it is his duty to repent, and confess, and ask for- 
giveness of his wrong. That is the only reasonable way, 
and when he has accomplished that, his next duty is to 
teach him public acknowledgment, as his offense had 
been public, and if proper overtures had been made, and 
all this accepted, then love and trust would be due, and 
also service in so far as benefit had accrued to him. 
This is the way of reconciliation with God. We can't 
force a man to repent, believe and be baptized; to join 
the church, to pray, to give, or do anything, except by 
teaching, and then we leave results to a knowledge of 
truth. 

Col. Ingersoll, looking out on the so-called Christian 
world, saw credulity and coercion and cruelty, and every 
other hurtful things which he also hated, and which I 
also hate. But he looked in the wrong direction. True 
Christianity was not on the high places of the earth, 
and if he had only searched the dens and caves of the 
earth, he would have found that which commends itself 
to every enlightened conscience. He would have found 
the gospel as a hidden treasure in a field, and with a 
proper conception and appreciation of that, and the pearl 
of great price, he would have been willing to have sold 
all he had to possess them. There are Means to an end, 
and in the gospel the end is everything, and I am not 
ashamed of the Means leading to it. There is nothing 
more honorable than proving and testing and trying all 
things, and then holding to that which is good. 

As I cannot find or conceive of any defect in the 
Benevolence, Invitations or Means of the gospel, I avow 
again that I am not ashamed of them. 



Chapter IV 

DEMANDS 

In advancing to a fourth constituent element, or item 
of the gospel, and one that fits on to these, let me affirm 
again that I am not ashamed of the DEMANDS of the 
gospel. It is required of a man according to that he 
has received. Obligations grow out of the character and 
amount of benefits received. The man that boasts that 
he has neither politics nor religion, boasts that he is 
under obligations to neither. A wealthy young lady pro- 
posed to another wealthy young lady to join a certain 
church, "because that church made no demands of its 
members in morals or religion." (But it did for money 
to finance aristocracy and outward show. An abundance 
of the outward show, a scarcity of the inward grace.) 

But the gospel is not a cheap thing, but the costliest 
in the world, and it does not propose to run on economi- 
cal and cheap lines. It makes no compromise with sin- 
ners and gives no indulgences to sin. It teaches to "come 
out and be separate from sinners," and "to touch no 
unclean thing." And why? Because that is right, and 
the only way to purity and happiness. 

The gospelis the costliest thing in the universe. This 
is seen in Matt. 13:44-46, where the man that sold all 
he had to make those purchases was the man Christ 
Jesus. Those purchases belong to the Definition of the 
Gospel, not yet considered. The good message is not a 
problematical something, but an accomplished fact. 

26 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 27 

Something finished, furnished, final and forever. Look 
at the cost again in II Cor. 8:9; I Pet. 1:18, 19; Rev. 
5:9, etc. Add Acts 20:28; Rom. 8:32; Gal. 3:13, etc. 
All sacrifices of the law are but feeble types of this one — 
the sacrifice of Christ. 

The gospel does not compromise with the sinner. It 
has no proposition for repairs or improvement and refor- 
mation of character. It does not ask him to leave off 
some things and substitute better. It demands a radical 
change of nature, mind, heart and conduct. Luke 18:18. 
Nicodemus thought perhaps that he was not lacking in 
much, but Christ told even him, THE TEACHER of 
Israel, that except one be born again he can't even see 
the kingdom of God. Old things must pass away and 
behold all things must become new. ''Except ye repent 
ye shall perish." "He that belie veth not shall be 
damned." "Let the wicked forsake his WAYS and the 
unrighteous man his THOUGHTS, and let him return 
unto the Lord." Come out from the world and be sepa- 
rate. Forsake all you have if need be, all your dearest 
ones if need be, and take up your cross daily. The 
sinner, the seeker, the saint, as well as the Saviour, must 
come to the altar of sacrifice and become a whole burnt 
offering. 

When one has been "filled with all the fulness of the 
blessing of Christ/' "with all the fulness of God," which 
includes redemption, regeneration, forgiveness, justifica- 
tion, with all the exceeding great and precious promises 
of God, including heirship of God, and joint heirship with 
Christ, and all on principles of grace, the question first 
and foremost and uppermost is: "HOW MUCH OWEST 
THOU THY LORD?" What does salvation by grace 
Demand? Grace does not demand that we pay the debt 
we owed to God, for grace paid it for us, and gave us 



28 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

in our hearts a full and final receipt. Grace satisfied all 
legal obligations, but that greatly increased our moral 
and spiritual obligations. Paul, having been made free 
from the law, said: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to 
do?" He was ready not only to be bound, but to die 
for the Lord Jesus. He counted not his own life dear 
unto him. 

*Now the question is, What are the DEMANDS of the 
gospel? Masonry demands so much. Education de- 
mands so much, and many things make many maximum 
demands; and they are all based on the supposed worth 
or value to be received from them. Can the gospel de- 
mand less than any or all of these? Our obligation is 
measured by the amount of benefit received. Do the 
demands of the gospel require freedom from sin and a 
holy life? Does it not allow some indulgence to sin? 
Does it demand that we abstain from the very appear- 
ance of evil? Are we not allowed to dance, and to play 
cards, and to indulge our vile appetites, and to waste 
our time in frivolous pleasures? No. It demands that 
we "abhor evil and be glued to that which is good." I 
would be ashamed of a gospel that would allow any 
compromise with sin. Indulgences are from the devil 
and his vicegerent, the pope. 

The gospel does not allow even negative sins. It says 
that "to him that knoweth to do good and does it not, 
to him it is a sin." Rom. 12:1; I Cor. 15:57. Paul says 
in Phil. 3:7, 8: "What things were gain to me, I counted 
loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless I count all things but 
loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my 
Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 
and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and 
be found in him, * * * through the righteousness which 
is of God by faith." He tells us to mortify, or crucify, 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 29 

or put to death our carnal desires, and to put off the 
old things, and to "put on the new." "To abstain from 
all appearance of evil." "The grace of God that bringeth 
salvation teaches us to deny all ungodliness and worldly 
lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this 
present world," and then to "be zealous of good works." 
We must "lay aside every weight and the sin that doth 
so easily beset us, and run with patience the race set 
before us." The gospel demands that, if necessary, we 
must forsake, yea, even hate father, mother, wife, chil- 
dren, brethren and sisters, yea our life also, or we can't 
be his disciple. The gospel demands that "we owe no 
man anything." The poet got it right: 

"I've found a friend, 0, such a friend; 
He died, he lives to save me; 
And not alone eternal life, 
But his own self he gave me. 

Naught that I have I call my own, 

I hold it for the Giver; 
My heart, my soul, my life, my all, 

Are his and his forever. 

Were all the realm of nature mine, 

It were an offering far too small ; 
Love so amazing, so divine, . 

DEMANDS my soul, my life, my all." 

There is nothing cheap in the gospel to be ashamed of. 
It cost the Savior and the saved all they have and are. 
We are ashamed of cheap things and boast of things 
costly. 



Chapter V 

"I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE POWER OF THE 
GOSPEL" 

The creation of the universe is a display of the power 
of God, but in the gospel we find THE power of God. 
The Spirit put forth great power when He brooded over 
chaos, and brought order out of it. John says that Jesus 
Christ made all things, and without him was not any- 
thing made that was made. That he was in the world 
and the world was made by him. Heb. 1:4, says that 
"he laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens 
are works of his hands." What a wonderful display of 
creative power! Yet he only "spake and it was done"; 
"he commanded and it stood fast." This is the result of 
creative power in natural things. But in spiritual things 
there is recreation, redemption, regeneration, reconcilia- 
tion, restoration, resurrection, etc., and these are not the 
results of arbitrary power. In these things he could not 
speak so that the results would follow. A price must 
be paid and a sacrifice made. 

This material was hot a non-resisting nothing, or non- 
resisting matter, but this material was resistant to all, 
and resisted all. Quickening a non-resisting dead body 
is easy compared to the quickening of a soul dead 
through trespasses and sins, yet alive with enmity to the 
Son and his work. It is like making ice out of fire, or 
fire out of ice. It is easier to create love than it is to 
convert hate into love. A life must be implanted that is 

30 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 31 

antipodal to death, and that death can't destroy. A light 
must be imparted that will destroy darkness. The man 
that for years had breathed out threatening and slaugh- 
ter, and had made havoc of the church, felt a power that 
made him ready to surrender all, yea, to lay down his 
life for Christ and his cause, and church, which he had 
so hated and persecuted. 

The parting of the sea and the Jordan; the budding 
and blooming and fruit-bearing of Aaron's dead rod in 
a day ; the living army that was brought from the valley 
of bones, that were dry, yea, very dry, was not the power 
that Paul felt on the road to Damascus. The power 
that changed his violent opposition to love, and his hos- 
tility to glad service, he was not ashamed of, because 
he knew by experience that it was the power of God. 
" Christ crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of 
God," to those who are called, whether Jews or Greeks; 
while to others it is foolishness. 

"God chose the weak things of the world to confound 
the mighty, and base things and things that are despised, 
yea, and things that are not, to bring to naught things 
that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence." 
Here is quickening power, regenerating power, re- 
creating power, reconciling power, forgiving power, justi- 
fying power, sanctifying power, preserving power, com- 
forting power, conquering power — all power. This power 
can not only change the mind, and the heart, and the 
life, but also our nature, so that we hate what we loved, 
and love what we hated. It does not change the leopard's 
spots or the Ethiopian's skin by outward applications, 
but by changing the nature and the life. That is the 
only way. 

Arminians boast of that shameful thing they have 
invented called "The REMEDIAL SCHEME of Salva- 



32 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

tion"; that is, God furnished the remedies for man's 
ruined condition and left it with man to use the reme- 
dies. If this were the gospel to be proclaimed, I would 
be ashamed of it. It would prove a stupendous failure. 
Not one soul could be saved by such a "scheme." Reme- 
dies are good in their places, but they must have some- 
thing to work on. Remedies never did heal the blind, 
nor raise the dead. Doctors have no remedies for blind- 
ness, deafness or death, but as long as there is some life 
in the organs and body, they will try and ply remedies, 
and no longer. These extreme maladies have all been 
cured, but only by the Power of God. All the means 
and agencies in the world can't reach a sinner dead in 
trespasses and sins. That requires the power of God, 
and when life is imparted, then means come on for its 
development and remedies for its correction. It is the 
power of God unto salvation to all who believe, not 
because they believe, thus making faith a ground of 
merit. Faith is the mark that designates the saved. 

"To us who believe, it is the power of God, but to 
others it is foolishness." Here believers are distinguished 
as a class from the others. Paul in Eph. 1:19, 20, speaks 
of "the exceeding greatness of his power to usward, who 
believe according to the working of his mighty power, 
which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the 
dead," etc. The comma should be after "usward," in- 
stead of after "believe." That was punctuated by those 
who interpolated and corrupted Rom. 8:1 and Gal. 3:1, 
in order to Arminianize them. 

We believe through grace, so that faith and grace and 
salvation singly or conjointly are all the gifts of God. 
Salvation is by grace through faith and not by faith 
through grace or works. The best man I ever knew 
boasted that he was the devil of the West; and next to 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 33 

him was one who gambled around the world. Paul him- 
self was the chief of sinners. These were saved by the 
power of God, and not by remedies. Should a hyena 
approach me with green eyes, and strutting bristles, and 
foaming mouth, and at my will or word should be in- 
stantly converted into an innocent lamb, or an affec- 
tionate dog, it would be like the power Paul felt on the 
road to Damascus. A man with yellow eyes and skin is 
not healed by eye drops and lotion, but by liver medi- 
cine, and he is a quack who would work on the outside. 
So all reformers and remedial preachers are spiritual 
quacks. Nothing wrong with the eyes, mouth, feet, hands 
or tongue. Get the heart right and these will be right. 

We all have a poor apprehension and some no compre- 
hension of the material that has to be worked on in 
transforming human character. Go to a city of 100,000 
inhabitants that had never heard of the gospel, or its 
power. There might be found some morals -and refine- 
ment, as a result of the authority ordained of God for 
the punishment of transgression and the means used for 
improvement. You don't see human nature as it is, 
under such restraints and constraints. If you would see 
the human nature that grace has to regenerate and renew 
and reform you must take off the restraints and take 
away the constraints. Let the governor of the city by 
proclamation dismiss the police, put out the lights, tear 
down the jails, burn up the statutes, take off the locks, 
take away the defensive weapons, kill the guard-dogs 
and make everybody free to do as he pleases. If an 
infidel and I were boarding at the same hotel I imagine 
he would beat me getting away, and I know I would be 
in a hurry. Who would trust such a city one night? 
The reason they don't do worse than they are doing is 
because of the restraints and fear of punishment. No 



34 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

one would be safe in such a city for one night, for human 
nature would be free to do as it pleases, and there is not 
much doubt about the results in such a city. 

But reverse the picture. Imagine such a city in size 
where all of its inhabitants had not only heard but felt 
the power of the gospel — its regenerating and sanctifying 
power, as Paul felt it. Then such a proclamation as the 
above would make that a city of refuge from every 
quarter. Not a hair on any man's head would suffer, 
but all would be ready to serve the rest. Is the picture 
overdrawn? 

Two infidels were traveling on horseback through a 
strange country. An approaching storm drove them to 
ask shelter at a rude cabin. They were offered welcome 
if they could put up with the simple fare. The man 
of the house was a bear hunter and did not return till 
after they had retired to a loft overhead. They feared 
the bear hunter and arranged for each to take his turn 
at watching and sleeping. At a late hour the host- 
returned and was told of the strangers in the loft. After 
supper he took his Bible and read and then prayed for 
the guests that they might be safe from the storm and 
might go on their way rejoicing. The watchman retired 
from his watch, told his sleeping companion that there 
was no danger, for "Behold he prayeth." Infidels know 
that hypocrites pray, but they know a hypocrite is not 
a saint. 

Two strangers met in a foreign country and neither 
could speak the other's language. They longed for con- 
genial companionship and they made sallies at each other 
through signs. One made a sign of the cross, then 
pointed one finger to heaven, laying the other hand over 
his heart. It was instantly recognized and they em- 
braced, and traveled together, and trusted each other 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 35 

implicitly. Such is the power of the gospel to change 
men's lives. In I Cor. 6:9-11, Paul gives as black a 
list of criminals as the world ever afforded, and closed 
by saying, "And such were some of you, but ye are 
washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord 
Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." 0, how it must 
have taxed the power of the Almighty to give his well 
beloved Son, and then to forsake him at the cross. 
There was the power of God unto salvation. It takes 
all power to do and endure such as that. 



Chapter VI 

THE EFFECT OF THE GOSPEL 

I will say next that I am not ashamed of the Effect of 
the Gospel. "It is Unto Salvation." Many accept the 
word salvation, if you let them take all the salvation 
out of it, and leave only probation or reformation. I 
don't see any power in giving a probation, and as for 
reformation, that can be brought about by law, and social 
rules, even among heathen. Salvation must result in 
reformation, but there is no power in reformation to save 
the soul from death. It may save the life from some 
blunders, but it has no power to dispose of sin and does 
not reach into the future life. It can neither save from 
death nor raise the dead from spiritual or physical death. 
Nor can it regenerate our nature, nor atone for sin, nor 
reconcile to God. 

The Jews who crucified Christ were more moral than 
most reformers. A man may keep all the law of Moses, 
and all other law, and then lose his own soul; yea, he 
may give all his goods to feed the poor, and then his 
body to be burned, and then miss salvation. I could not 
glory in the cross, if its power could offer no greater 
Effect than reformation. As for probation it is not worth 
the breath it takes to utter it. If Adam was on proba- 
tion, the devil got him the first pass he made at him, 
although his circumstances and condition were inconceiv- 
ably better than any since him. Sinners are not on 
probation for the Scriptures say that he that believeth 

36 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 37 

not is condemned already. Is the prisoner in jail, already 
condemned, on probation? If saved from the just sen- 
tence of condemnation it must be by some other process 
than probation. And so of the "already condemned" 
sinner. "If his soul were sent to hell, God's holy law 
approves it well." Jesus Christ did not come to save 
him from condemnation, for the was already under it, but 
to rescue him out of condemnation. And surely the saint 
is not on probation, for the book says: "He that believeth 
on him is not condemned, and shall not come into con- 
demnation, but shall have everlasting life." 

The word probation is not found in the scriptures, and 
if there is a place for it, it must be as far from salvation 
as the east is from the west. So when I say that I am 
not ashamed of the gospel for its Power Effects salva- 
tion, I mean that "great salvation" that is perfect, and 
that the imagination can add nothing to, nor machination 
take anything from; a salvation free, full, and forever. 
A salvation that does not save from hell is not worth 
the cost. No one in hell can ever say he was once saved, 
and why? Because he is lost. Salvation is not only from 
hell but from all sin, and "from this present evil world," 
and "from the wrath to come." 

Thayer in his lexicon says that the word salvation is 
used in opposition to perdition. "Lord, save or I perish." 
We are not of them that draw back unto perdition, but 
of those who believe to the saving of the soul. This 
means saving of the soul from perdition. "There is one 
law-giver who is able to save and to destroy." Here the 
antithesis is clear. Jas. 4: 11. "Who gave himself for 
our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil 
world." Gal. 1: 4. Many scriptures state the case both 
positively and negatively, and that should stop the 
mouths of all gainsayers. 



38 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

John 3: 15, 16, "Whosoever believeth shall not perish, 
but have everlasting life." The word whosoever includes 
all of that class called believers. John 4: 14, ''Whosoever 
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never 
thirst, but it will be in him a well of water springing up 
into everlasting life." Jno. 5: 24, with a double verily, 
"Verily, Verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word 
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, 
and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from 
death unto life." Who dare reply against that? Jno. 
6: 37, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to m,e, 
and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out," 
6: 39. "Of all that the Father hath given me, I should 
lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day." 
So of verses 44, 50, 54, 58. Chapter 10: 28: "I give unto 
them eternal life and they shall never perish, nor shall 
any pluck them out of my hand." 

Also John 17: 2, 3; Acts 13: 48; Rom. 5: 9; 8: 28-39; 
1 Cor. 1: 7, 8; Gal. 1: 4; Eph. 1: 3-23; 4: 30; Phil. 1: 6; 
Col. 3: 3,4; 1 Thes. 1: 10; 5: 23,24; 1 Tim. 1: 16; 2 Tim. 
1: 12; Titus 1: 2; Heb. 10: 10, 14, 39; Jas. 5: 20; 1 Pet. 
1: 5; 1 John 3: 2; 5: 13; Jude 24; Rev. 13: 8; 17: 8; 
20: 15; 21: 8. 

Thus you see the Effect of the Power of the gospel is 
unto a salvation that cannot be improved. Salvation 
from all evil, and to all good. Circumstantial salvation 
would be very imperfect. If one dies at a favorable 
time and in favorable circumstances, while in a good 
spiritual condition, he might be saved, they say; but if 
he dies while in anger and out of spiritual condition, after 
committing some sin, and before he has repented, and 
confessed, and been forgiven, he would be lost, they say, 
though he had no control of the circumstances, and there- 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 39 

fore not responsible for them. I would be ashamed of 
such a so-called salvation. 

Such a mis-called salvation is taught in the scriptures, 
but it is not scriptural. It is one of the devil's doctrines 
as seen in the cases of Job and Peter. The testimony of 
God was, that Job was the most upright man in all the 
earth, but Satan said he could put him in circumstances 
that would cause Job to curse his Maker to his face. God 
gave the devil a few chances to overthrow Job's faith, 
and piety, and never was a greater failure. He made a 
second effort, and that failed. Both challenges were 
from Satan, and God accepted both in order to stop the 
mouths of all slanderous gain-sayers against the salva- 
tion of God. Then after a few thousand years, Satan 
challenged the Son of God for a fair trial of Peter. 
"Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you 
as wheat," said Christ to Peter. The word translated 
desire is often translated pray, hence Satan prayed that 
he might overthrow Peter. And so he did seemingly. 
He made Peter lie, and swear falsely, but he rather 
improved Peter's character. Peter's salvation was not 
in jeopardy at all. Peter's courage failed, but his faith 
and love did not fail. "I have prayed for thee that thy 
faith fail not." And "I pray not for these alone, but for 
all who shall believe on me through their word." So 
that "none given to him shall be lost but the son of 
perdition." 

Judas was never a son of God by faith in Christ. He 
followed Christ, not because he loved him, but because 
he carried the money bag from which he could steal. 
Christ knew from the beginning that Judas was a devil, 
and a thief, and a would-be traitor, selling the Savior 
of the world for thirty pieces of silver. Satan got advan- 
tage of Peter's courage, which belongs to the natural 



40 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

man, but faith and love belonging to the spiritual man 
and of which salvation is affirmed, were too much for 
Satan, because a stronger than he had turned him out 
of that house, and was pledged to keep and guard it. 

If the devil could get one of God's saints he would; 
if he could get two he would do it; then he would get 
four or more if he could do it. And if more, then all; 
which he would if he could; then if he didn't, it would 
not be because he could not, but would not; then those 
he spared because he would not, would be saved, not by 
the grace of God, but by the disgrace of the devil; that is, 
the devil didn't want them, and so God could have only 
the devil's refuse. If salvation were of ourselves instead 
of God, then Satan would get all of us. But if our life 
is hid with Christ in God, then Satan must bind Christ 
and cast him out of the Father and then forcibly seize 
and possess the Almighty. Thus Satan would be mightier 
than the Almighty so-called and Satan would be God. 
All of this would become the logical conclusion from the 
premise, which proves the premise infinitely wrong. 

Now I beg to put a practical question to all who believe 
that the power of the gospel can produce no greater 
EFFECT than such a so-called, but mis--called circum- 
stantial salvation. If they would use the right terms they 
would offer as the Effect, a precarious, fallible probation, 
or a failing reformation. The apostle asks: "What have 
we that we did not receive?" What we receive is by faith. 
Now for the practical question. Did your faith receive 
salvation, probation or reformation as the Effect of the 
gospel? If either or both of the latter, then you are 
without hope, and without God in the world. If Adam 
with all of his advantages failed under probation, and if 
the law is a failure, and all under it are lost, then what 
hope is there in probation? 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 41 

But some may claim a broader foundation thus: That 
the Effect of the gospel is the pardon of past sins by 
immersion, with another probation resulting in reforma- 
tion, and a holding out faithful unto the end. But all of 
this would be a shameful Effect, because every term is a 
delusion and a snare, and even the last is perverted like 
the others. God does not pardon past sins in immersion, 
nor does he pardon sins at all. Pardon is alway at the 
expense of justice, and God cannot unjustly p away 
sins. Sins must be dealt with according to law, «nd law 
exacts the uttermost farthing, so that every jot and tittle 
of the law must be fulfilled, and never made void. Christ 
himself did not, and could not make void the law, but he 
must' himself fulfill it. Pardon is a dangerous doctrine. 
Thank God the word is not in the New Scriptures, and 
God forgave them that put it in the Old. 

Now again, did you receive a perfect, free, full, final, 
and forever salvation, or did you receive by faith these 
other delusions. If you are no better than your faith, it 
is high time you were seeking a better faith. You had 
better cut off your feet and hands, and pluck out your 
eyes, and paralyze your tongue, than to offer all such 
delusions as the above to dying sinners. They all would 
miss salvation as far as the east is from the west, and 
as high as the heavens are above the earth, so much 
higher is salvation than these delusions. Don't deceive 
yourselves and sinners by offering these delusions in the 
name of salvation, for there is nothing safe in any or 
all of them, and there can be no salvation where there is 
nothing safe, or where there is anything unsafe or uncer- 
tain. The Effect of the gospel is salvation, of which I 
am not ashamed, because there is nothing unsafe or 
uncertain in salvation. 



42 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

Let the reader strengthen himself for the next chapter — 
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE EXTENT OF THE 
GOSPEL. IT IS TO ALL WHO BELIEVE. 

The devil has done his worst in that item of the Gospel. 
Let us look over the bloody battle fields. 



Chapter VII 

THEOLOGICAL SURGERY 

Physical surgery is growing in favor, and it is high 
time for theological and ecclesiastical surgery to come 
into better repute. The knife is doing more for the body 
than the old porous plasters. When a bodily evil needs 
the knife, it is not wise to substitute a poultice or plaster. 
We don't want fleshy evils united to the body, but sepa- 
rated from it. If unawares they get hold of the flesh, 
separation is still the remedy. Some sores may be poul- 
ticed but not all. The well-equipped doctor carries his 
medicines and his instruments. The medicines are reme- 
dies, the instruments are preventives. If the medicines 
fail, and the disaffection is likely to spread to the injury 
of the whole body, the knife is used to prevent it. If the 
disease is in the hand, or foot, or eye, and is incurable 
by remedies, these members of the body may be removed 
for the sake of the body, and the operation is not so 
serious, because these members are not necessary to the 
life of the body. They are not vital members, because 
the body can live without them. They are essential, but 
not essential to the life of the body. They are of great 
importance and profit, but not so much so as the vital 
members or organs, such as the brain, heart, liver, lungs, 
etc., without which the body could not live. When a 
surgeon cuts about the vital organs for their protection, 
he should be exceedingly careful and skillful lest fatal 

43 



44 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

harm ensue. Vital organs are to be protected and not 
removed. The surgeon may remove the hand, foot, or 
eye, and substitute others of his own manufacture, and 
the substitutes may look good, and be good and do good, 
but they are not to be compared to those God made. 
In reality they are only imitations. Man can't make an 
eye to see, nor a foot or a hand to feel. There is no life 
in them, because they are of man, and man can't give life. 
Remedies are good, but fallible; surgery is good, but 
dangerous; so that both should be mixed with much 
prayer. False hands and feet and eyes may be good, and 
I pity the man who has none at all, or who has the false, 
as I pity the bird without wings. These may not be 
essential to life, yet essential to their purpose. (Apply 
these illustrations to theological and ecclesiastical 
surgery in your mind as you go along to an application 
I will try to make presently.) 

But not only can man make additions to, and sub- 
tractions from, the body, but the devil also takes a hand 
in these things, and which require a different treatment. 
If the devil puts one or more of his demons into a human 
body, all remedies will fail. Exorcism is the only treat- 
ment. Don't try to cajole, condole, console, and comfort 
or convert them, but cast them out. They may protest 
and rebel, and throw the patient down, and make him 
foam at the mouth, and throw him in the water or fire, 
but they must be cast out, regardless of risk or cost. 
Better try to make a rattlesnake laugh by tickling with 
a straw. Rattlesnakes don't laugh except when they 
bite you. So don't waste any time and remedies on 
devils. The spiritual knife of exorcism is the only treat- 
ment. So of cancers, carbuncles, boils, tumors, etc., 
which the devil may add to the inside or the outside of 
the body. Destruction is the only wise treatment. Use 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 45 

the knife for separating, or other destructive medicines. 
Poultices may drive them in to break out again in a 
worse form. Eradicate them from the system. The 
lesser evils, not directly of the devil, as he does not carry 
them much in his stock, may be healed and cured, or 
the body may be able to throw them off in a milder way. 
Don't waste time and remedies on the devil and his 
diseases. Often wisdom is radical and mercy is severe, 
as when you pull a splinter out of the flesh. 

Now let us try to apply these illustrations to the 
subject in hand. There is a Body of Divinity, or System 
of Doctrine, that needs to be guarded from the malice of 
devils, and the malpractice of men. The Bible speaks of 
the "doctrines of devils," and "the doctrines of men," 
both in the plural, but it speaks of "the doctrine of God," 
and "the doctrine of Christ," both in the singular. As 
the human body has many members, yet one body, some 
members honorable or comely and others not, yet the 
members lacking in these are necesary, and may be the 
most necessary; so that, if one member suffer or rejoice, 
all the other members suffer or rejoice with it; so there 
can't be any schism among the members. "The whole 
body is fitly joined together, and compacted by that 
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual 
working in the measure of every part, making increase 
of the body unto the upbuilding of itself." What a won- 
derful piece of mechanism or organism! Only God can 
make such. 

By divine and regenerating grace, he can bring Jew 
and Gentile, bond and free, male and female, into one 
spiritual mind and judgment, and cause them to work 
together as his body or church, so it is one church but 
many members with a divine head. What unity in the 
human and divine if one can protect them from the evil 



46 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

designs of men and deceitful devices of devils. When the 
unity is disturbed in these bodies, you may suspect the 
wiles of men or devils, and proceed accordingly. Just 
so with the Body of Divinity, or System of Doctrines. 
Many doctrines, but one system, and the unity of that 
body or system of devotion has provoked like opposition 
from men and devils. If they get some of the divine 
doctrines out of the system, and get in some of their 
own, which will not fit, the unity will be broken. But 
these inventions and innovations are to be treated dif- 
ferently. The doctrines of men, like artificial members 
in the human body, are not so bad as the additions of 
the devil. They are shams yet they seem to do some 
good. Not so with the doctrines of devils. 

As artificial members are dead, and can't co-operate 
vitally, but only mechanically, so the added and substi- 
tuted doctrines of men have no life in them, and can't 
really harmonize and co-operate vitally with divine doc- 
trines. Remedies may be used on some of these doctrines 
of men, but never on the doctrines of devils. The doc- 
trines of men are imitations, and are offered as substi- 
tutes, but the doctrines of devils are not only opposed to, 
but they are the very opposites of the doctrine of Christ. 
God said, thou shalt die ; Satan said, thou shalt not surely 
die. He did not accuse God of lying, but he added the 
word "surely" that suggested a misunderstanding of what 
God said. And thus he is a deceiver. So with his 
temptations of Christ. 

The devil has his anti-Christs, and his anti-churches, 
and his anti-doctrines. The church of Christ is congre- 
gational; the church of the devil is Catholic — the very 
opposite. The government of Christ's church is demo- 
cratic and automatic; the other is monarchic and hier- 
archic — the very opposites. Christ says: "Ye are 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 47 

brethren, and no one shall have authority over the 
others." The devil takes all authority from the members 
and gives it all to one man, or to a few. Not only in 
church matters, but in civil matters ; not only all author- 
ity on earth, but all in heaven, hades, and hell, is boldly 
claimed by the pope; not in some things, but in all things. 
Out of one Church of Christ come personal, civil, and 
religious liberty; and individual responsibility and ac- 
countability. The other takes all of these away. One 
gives liberty to all, the other takes liberty from all. One 
says search the Scriptures, the other forbids it. One 
gives free access to the Father through the Son; the other 
gives paid access through the priest to the Pope. 

Now the churches of men and the doctrines of men are 
not so bad. One takes about three-fourths of Catholic 
error, and mixes it with one-fourth of Baptist truth; 
another about two-thirds of one, and one-third of the 
other; another about half and half; another, maybe, takes 
more of truth than of error, but all camouflaged. And 
so they compound and confound and confuse and counter- 
feit. Like artificial members, these man-made churches 
and doctrines may have the same name of the genuine, 
and may look like them, and may seem to do some good 
to morals, society, and the State, but they are spiritual 
shams and imitations. There is no life in them. They 
can't co-operate with the genuine except mechanically; 
not spiritually and vitally. Instead of being vital, they 
may be fatal, though not so intended, as the devil's doc- 
trines were. They always work an injury to the spiritual 
body or church and doctrine. They are offered as sub- 
stitutes. At first they are more convenient, and will do 
as well. Then they become better, and at last the original 
will not do at all; and then cursed is the man who will 



48 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

not submit to the substitutes. Many of Christ's doctrines 
they say are nonessential, but they never say that of 
their substitutes. Many of the doctrines of men, like all 
those of the devil, need the knife, because they are too 
bad for remedies. If they interfere with the vital doc- 
trines they must be cut out. In the Pentateuch alone, 
there are more than a score of offenses for which an 
Israelite must be "cut off from the congregation" — the 
ekklesia — the Jewish church, "the church in the wilder- 
ness." Paul said (Gal. 3: 12): "I would they were cut 
off that trouble you." Here is the surgical knife again. 
Kopto, to cut; apocopto, to cut from; ekkopto, to cut 
out; katakopto, to cut down; enkopto, to cut in; with 
"cut short," "cut asunder," "circumcise," cleanse, divide, 
depart, distribute, divorce, open, parted, part and put 
asunder, purge, put away, prune, reject, sever, separate, 
schism, sect, sanctify, withdraw, etc., are different proc- 
esses of cutting or separation. It is not union with these 
we need, for that word is not found in God's word, but 
instead the separating idea is taught everywhere. John 
the Baptist laid the ax unto the root of the trees, and 
Christ the pruning knife to the branches. There is too 
much mixing of good and evil. 

VITAL DOCTRINE 

The vital doctrines of the gospel are those that come 
before the cross. There is but one way to salvation, but 
men have made many ways of salvation. The penitent 
suppliant who believes in Christ crucified, is saved with 
a full, free and forever salvation, and he may err on all 
the doctrines after the cross, and yet be saved. He may 
be diverted by men from the river, and from the church, 
and from duty, yet he is saved. So the doctrines leading 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 49 

up to salvation at the cross, are vital doctrines, and are 
essential to spiritual life. The others are essential to 
other things, very important things, but not so important 
as life. If they err on those they will suffer great and 
eternal loss, but not the loss of the soul. "The gospel is 
the power of God unto salvation to every one who 
believes." After salvation it is the gospel of duty, 
"created in Christ Jesus unto good works." "First make 
the tree good," etc. Now the doctrines leading up to the 
cross are, redemption, regeneration, conviction, repent- 
ance, prayer, faith, without which no sinner can be saved. 
One may err in his mind as to the order and the fullness 
of these doctrines, but he must not err in his heart and 
experience. If one thinks that faith comes before re- 
pentance, and has no experience to contradict it, he can't 
be saved; not because he missed the order, but because he 
missed the things themselves, for they cannot exist except 
in their order. If one says the power of the gospel is the 
power of words, read or heard, and knows no better in 
his heart, his error is fatal. If one says this power of 
God is unto reformation and another unto probation, his 
error is fatal. If reformation or probation is all of the 
Effect he sought or received, then he is infinitely short 
of salvation. What God offers is a free, full, and for- 
ever salvation; and if this was not received by faith, and 
is still refused, then the delusion seems fatal. To reject 
what the gospel offers, and accept a substitute of men or 
devils, must be fatal. And in addition to denying salva- 
tion as the Effect of the gospel, they proceed to deny 
that the Extent is to all who believe, they deny and assail 
another vital doctrine of the gospel, for that is vital. In 
defense of this point, I buckle on my sharp two-edged 
sword, and with the knife in one hand, and John the 
Baptist ax in the other, I start out to slay a thousand, 



50 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

to chase another thousand, and to put ten thousand to 
flight. A host has encamped against salvation as the 
Effect of the gospel, and many and mighty hosts have 
encamped gainst the Extent of this Effect, as "unto all 
who believe." Having put on the whole armor of God, 
having my loins girt about with truth, and having on the 
breastplate of righteousness, and my feet shod with the 
preparation of the gospel of peace, and over all, having 
the shield of faith, whereby to quench the fiery darts of 
the wicked; and having the sword of the Spirit which is 
the word of God, and praying with all prayer and suppli- 
cation in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all per- 
severance and supplication for all saints, I am ready to 
wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the 
rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual 
wickedness in high places, though it is exalted above all 
that is called God, or that is worshipped. From my 
quiver I draw out at one time about one hundred such 
arrows as these, "Whosoever believeth in him, shall not 
perish, but have everlasting life." "Hath everlasting life, 
and shall not come into condemnation." "Therefore it 
is of faith that it might be by grace, to the end, the 
promise might be sure to all the seed." If it were on 
any one of the sham substitutes I am going to assail, the 
promise would not be sure to any of the seed, but instead 
a fatal failure to all. "We are not of them that draw 
back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the 
saving of the soul." "By grace are saved through faith." 
Thus girded with truth I proceed to slay the enemies of 
the cross. Not salvation to all who believe, say Catholics, 
Roman and Greek; also many Protestants, and many 
others, and some Baptists, so-called. They have invented 
many substitutes for faith, as they cannot endure a sal- 
vation so extensive as that. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 51 

SEVEN SACRAMENTS 

And first, I lay the knife and ax and sword to the 
Seven Sacraments of the Catholics. Extreme unction is 
the seventh and last, to be administered in the last 
moments, so no sin can be committed after. So impor- 
tant is it for this sacrament to be administered, that a 
dispensation has been given to any one, if no priest can 
be had. This limits the Extent to Extreme Unction. 
None others can be saved. It is intended to help out an 
uncertain and unsafe salvation. But many die at times 
and in circumstances not propitious for sacraments. As 
Paul in 1 Cor. 4: 6 transferred a principle to himself and 
to Apollos, that it might be better understood, so let us 
apply this sacrament to ourselves. A religion that is 
impractical is very imperfect, and that brings shame. 

Suppose our dearest loved one should be wrecked on a 
train, or drowned in the sea, or killed by a storm, or in 
war, or a sudden death from heart failure or other cause, 
and millions die in these ways, and under circumstances 
they could not control, and which make Extreme Unction 
impossible; and as salvation cannot be extended beyond 
it, it being a sacrament, how we would wring our hands 
in agony and exclaim, that salvation could be extended 
beyond Extreme Unction! If I were the one thus bereft, 
I would denounce the doctrine as of the devil. I would 
be so ashamed of such an imperfection that I would 
neither accept such a plan of salvation, nor commend it 
to others. If all such are lost, then God is unjust, as 
the failure to receive was in no way the fault of the 
subject, but in the providences of God. One thus dying, 
believing in this sacrament for salvation, would not trust 
in the Lord, and the devil knew the sacrament would cut 
the Lord out, and render his grace of none effect. The 



52 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

devil put the sacrament in, and the Lord cut it out for 
our learning. Sacraments can't save. 

But coming halfway down the line we come to the third 
sacrament called Confirmation. The Episcopal Church 
joins the Catholics on this sacrament. I quote from their 
Church Cyclopedia, page 167, 168, defining Confirma- 
tion: "The imposition of the hands of the Bishop, 
whereby the gift of the Holy Ghost is given to the person 
confirmed. ... It was emphatically the Rite for that 
gift, as baptism was the appointed sacrament for entrance 
and birth into Christ. ... It is often asked: Is Con- 
firmation as necessary to salvation as baptism? . . . 
It is, for it is a part of the means of grace for our 
resurrection." 

The age for this sacrament is about 12 years, after 
answering some questions in the Catechism. The admin- 
istrator is the Bishop, who makes his rounds for the pur- 
pose. Let us transfer this also to ourselves in order to 
make a practical test. Kentucky and Tennessee are long- 
States, and the Bishop lives perhaps in Louisville or 
Nashville. As children everywhere are subject to death 
at that age, let us suppose that we live in one end of the 
State, and that it is our child about to die without con- 
firmation. We wire the Bishop: O Bishop, come down 
ere my child die. But he received another call from the 
other end, or elsewhere, or he may be absent, or sick and 
can't go, or decides to go another way, and my child 
dies without confirmation. It is not our fault, or the 
child's fault, or the Bishop's fault — we all were willing 
and anxious, yet the child is lost, because God's provi- 
dence frustrated his grace. How ashamed I would be of 
such an imperfection! 

I would not preach a gospel that allows providence to 
frustrate grace, or accident frustrate salvation, or that 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 53 

gives nothing better than a probation. And note another 
shameful imperfection. In such cases as the above the 
failure could not be charged to the parties concerned, but 
to the fact that the administrator is not ubiquitous. So 
God's creation and providence made salvation impossible 
to those who were anxious to comply with his terms! 
I would be ashamed of such a God and such a gospel. 

THE ORDINANCES 

But there are many others besides Catholics and 
Episcopalians who make the Lord's Supper a sacrament, 
which, of course, makes it necessary to salvation. But 
a practical test brings this also into like objections. 
Millions have died who were not able to reach the Lord's 
table. They claim repentance, confession, faith, baptism, 
and church membership, all of which must come before 
the Supper, and yet, if without any fault of theirs, they 
died before the Supper — though anxious to reach it, and 
nothing to hinder, but divine providence — are they to be 
damned for not doing what they and all others were 
anxious should be done, but could not! If I believed 
such a doctrine, and such calamity should come to my 
house, I would be ashamed of it. But as I never did 
believe such foolishness, "shame," to me is too feeble a 
word. "I loathe, abhor, my very soul with strong disgust 
is stirred, whenever I see or hear or tell" of such doctrines 
of hell. What more could Satan do than that he has done. 

BAPTISM 

But there are myriads who join the above hosts in 
making Baptism a sacrament and necessary to salvation. 
But the same shameful results follow a practical test of 
this doctrine. Millions failed to receive baptism because 



54 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

they could not. Some in prisons, some in war, and other 
forbidding circumstances where it was improper, imprac- 
tical or impossible. Their religious chaplains or leaders 
may have held perverted views of the ordinances which 
might keep the candidate out of the water or from the 
water. The candidate may have been convicted of sin, 
repented, prayed, confessed, and professed, believed, and 
anxious to obey, but is hindered by circumstances he 
could not control — and millions have thus died. Are 
they lost? Why? How? For what? Are all who have' 
been misled about immersion — the one outward act, per- 
formed by another, to be lost, despite the inward and 
spiritual acts of godly sorrow for sin, repentance, prayer, 
confession, faith, etc.— are all of these to be counted for 
nothing, because the one outward act of another to be 
performed on them was made impossible? What Paul 
said about the blood of bulls and goats, I say of this, 
and that with magnified emphasis, as blood is more 
cleansing than water. It is impossible for baptism to 
wash away sins. Heb. 10: 4. The doctrine falls both 
before a logical and theological test, or biological test, 
or any other. Shame on such a gospel! 

Here are some concrete cases : A woman on a very cold 
day "heard and believed and made the good confession," 
and wanted to be baptized, but the preacher who lived 
miles away, and who came only once a month, was at 
that time suffering greatly with rheumatism, and felt 
compelled* to excuse himself until he could return on 
next appointment. In the meantime the woman died. 
Is she saved or lost? It was not her fault, nor the 
preacher's fault, but only the preacher's misfortune. Is 
she to suffer the pangs of the damned forever because 
the preacher had the rheumatism? If baptism is neces- 
sary to salvation, she is lost. I boldly affirm that if 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 55 

she died without repentance and faith, she is lost, and 
if I believed the other, I would stand by the conclusion 
of my premise. I would not affirm a premise so loud and 
long that all the world could hear, and then deny the 
logical conclusion. 

Another case : In trying to immerse a lady the preach- 
er's foot slipped and the preacher and the lady got into 
a ridiculous mix-up, which caused the observers to laugh. 
The lady seeing this, refused to proceed, and I heard 
she was never baptized. Is she lost because the preacher's 
foot slipped? And so a great variety of such cases purely 
accidental, and which could not be controlled, have and 
may occur that frustrate baptism. Do they frustrate 
salvation also? Shame is only a sham of a word to 
express my dissent. So I repeat again, with increased 
emphasis, I am not ashamed of the Extent of the gospel 
for its salvation is to all who believe. 

But some deny their belief in sacraments, and claim 
that baptism is a solemn ordinance, and as such is neces- 
sary to salvation. This changes the name, but does not 
change the principle, and the same objections hold. This 
system puts faith before conviction, then repentance, 
then confession, then baptism, so that, if after all of 
these, baptism should be hindered, then all of these are 
counted for nothing, as baptism saves. This, like the 
other, puts an outward ordinance for the body, to be seen 
of men, with a passive submission, infinitely above the 
holy activities of the heart and soul. God looks at the 
inward, man at the outward. Salvation is often predi- 
cated of faith — " whosoever believeth hath everlasting 
life," and "shall not perish;" also of repentance — "repent- 
ance unto life," and "repentance unto salvation;" also 
of prayer — "whosoever shall call upon the name of the 
Lord shall be saved;" also confession — "with the mouth 



56 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

confession is made unto salvation;" also love, which must 
come before baptism — "whoso loveth is born of God;" 
and damnation is predicated of all who repent not, 
believe not, call not on God, confess not, and love not; 
but salvation is never predicated of baptism, nor damna- 
tion of those who are not baptized, and yet this system 
of doctrine instead of speaking where the Bible speaks, 
and keeping silent where it is silent, this system, I say, 
loudly proclaims that the one outward act for the body, 
to be seen of men. and administered by a man, and thus 
of the will of man, and only passively received, that this 
one act, saves the soul, and without which all the acts 
and exercises of the mind, heart, and soul, go for nothing. 
They are all failures if baptism fails; Unreasonable! 
Unmerciful! Unjust! Impossible! 

But, does not the Scripture say: "He that believeth and 
is baptized shall be saved"? No, that is found in Mark, 
but Mark did not write it. Then who wrote it? No one 
knows, or professes to know. But was it not inspired? 
No, it cannot stand the true canonical test. It is faulty, 
and therefore not inspired. Is not the opposition to it 
modern? No, nearly all of the early fathers protested 
against it, many did not know of it. No scholar denies 
that it is one of two appendages made to Mark's gospel 
and that Mark wrote neither one of them. They both 
sound apocryphal. 

But does not John 3: 5 say that "except one be baptized 
and born of the spirit he can't enter the kingdom of 
God?" No, it lacks all of saying it. See my tract on 
the subject. It is made to read that way, and millions so 
read it, but it can't be true. But does not Acts ^2: 38 
say: "Repent and be baptized in order to the remission 
of sins?" No, that is as far from the truth as the other. 
See my tract on that text. But did not Paul wash away 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 57 

his sins in baptism? Yes, just like Pilate washed away 
his sin, when he washed his hands in the basin of water. 
It was declarative in both cases as in all ordinances. 
Did not Paul say we are baptized into his death? Yes, 
but he explains it thus: "For if we have been planted 
together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in 
the likeness of his resurrection," both of which are seen 
in baptism in a likeness. But are we not baptized into 
Christ? Yes, just like the Israelites were baptized into 
Moses. It is a public declaration of loyalty, a leaving 
all to follow, and to walk in newness of life. 

Well does not Peter say that "baptism now saves?" 
Yes, just like David says, "there is no God." How 
different from the true reading? "The fool says there 
is no God," and "the like figure whereunto baptism now 
saves us." Baptism saves in a figure, and if it saves 
in a figure, it does not save in reality: for the figure is 
never the reality. I believe there is a relation between 
baptism and salvation, but not that of the substance to 
the shadow, but of the shadow to the substance. The 
substance does not need a shadow, but there can be no 
shadow without the substance. The substance is all, the 
shadow is nothing, but a sign or figure of the substance. 
So salvation is the substance, the all in all, while baptism 
is only the shadow, or figure, or likeness, that wholly 
depends on the substance, and the substance not at all 
on shadow. Don't forget the dog crossing the river on 
a log, with his mouth full of meat, and seeing his shadow, 
plunges at it and got only a good ducking. There is no 
substance in a shadow. It may be suggestive and helpful 
in showing us the reality in a figure or likeness, but that 
is all. There is too much grasping after the shadow and 
losing the substance. Thus it is with baptismal Saviors 
and sacramentarians. 



58 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP 

But millions of others, opposing the Extent of salva- 
tion to all who believe, try to limit it to CHURCH 
MEMBERSHIP. They say all in the church are saved, 
and all out of it are lost. The Catholics, claiming for 
themselves a universal visible church, boldly take this 
stand. No salvation outside of the Catholic church. No 
difference what or how much they believe or love or do 
it counts for nothing outside of the church. They may 
and do make limits within the church, such as sacra- 
ments and other things, but salvation can't extend beyond 
the church. Of course the Scriptures teach the opposite, 
but the Scriptures are not in the way of those who teach 
for doctrine the commandments of men. "They reject 
the commandment of God, that they may keep their own 
tradition." Mark 7: 7-9. 

Protestants define the church as universal and invisible, 
and so they limit the salvation to the church also, with 
yet narrower limits within. They are as blind as bats — 
yea, blind as Catholics, when they read Acts 2: 47, 
rightly translated: "The Lord added the saved to the 
church." Every scholar knows they were saved before 
they were added to the church, but it does not suit their 
notions, and like the King James translators, they force 
it to read, "such as should be saved." The Lord said, 
make disciples, and baptized them — the disciples, and 
he, and the apostles practiced that way (John 4: 1), but 
as that does not suit their notions and traditions they 
insist on making disciples "by baptizing them." Both 
of the above are what Peter calls "damnable heresies," 
or heresies of perdition, and that means of the devil, 
because it is his efficient plan for peopling hell, and if 
men will not yield to the word and commandment of 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 59 

God, but teach contrariwise, whose servants are they? 
Do they make recruits for God or for the devil? We 
can know these doctrines by their bloody and filthy fruits. 

There are still others who limit the church to their 
own little modern denomination, who hold that none 
can be saved outside of that little limit. Then let us 
thank God that so few can be saved, if the fruits of 
salvation are to be found only in them. How many 
otherwise good characters have been ruined by that 
heresy of perdition? But the only real church is a con- 
gregation, and I never heard of one trying to limit sal- 
vation to that, and why? Because that is Baptist doc- 
trine, and Baptists know the right extent and limit of 
salvation. 

Now comes the serious results from the above heresies. 
If Christ is to judge them out of their own mouths, and 
he says he will, and also by the words that he spake, 
and he says he will, then all such must be damned, as 
they have no baptism and no real church membership. 

If sprinkling is not baptism, and certainly it is not; 
and if babes and sinners are not proper subjects, and 
certainly they are not; and if this is not a regenerating 
or saving sacrament or ordinance, and certainly it is not; 
and if none such are authorized to administer this ordi- 
nance, and certainly they are not; and if these man- 
made institutions of theirs are not churches of Christ, 
and certainly they are not; and if these heresies fail to 
bring forth good fruits in their lives, and nothing is more 
clear, then how can they be saved? And how can those 
who deny the above heresies, profess salvation for them, 
knowmg the danger to them, and to the whole world, in 
doing so? If sprinkling or immersion can't save; 'if 
joining a or the church can't save; if Baptist baptism 
and Baptist church membership don't save, and we know 



60 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

they do not, and cannot, then how can Baptists put a 
premium on the piety of the above errorists, and claim 
salvation for them? Those who believe in a crucified 
Christ are those who believe to the saving of the soul. 
But to turn from this to any and other substitutes, and 
believe in them for salvation, can that faith save? 
Baptists would not hesitate to turn even a Baptist 
preacher out of the church, ,and over to Satan, if he 
believed the above heresies, and would do so that the 
soul might be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Is it 
not better to deliver such than to deceive them; to con- 
vert them than to confirm them ; to warn them than to 
woo them? There is but one way to salvation, and that 
ends in faith in the Crucified One. This of course in- 
cludes the necessary prerequisites to faith, such as con- 
viction, repentance, prayer, etc. Now these plain words 
are not written for destruction but for salvation. I be- 
lieve God has a people in Rome, and in Protestantism, 
which is the image of Romanism, and many more in the 
latter than in the former, but he calls on them through 
his true ministry and word to come out from among 
them, that they be not partaker of their plagues, and 
their best friends are these who call them out, and warn 
them of danger. 

WORKS 

There is yet another class who deny the Extent of 
salvation to all who believe, and who claim that salva- 
tion is by works, and as works can't save, and were never 
designed for that purpose, how can those who believe 
this "heresy of perdition" be saved, and how can we 
profess salvation for them, while they confess for them- 
selves that they are not saved, and can't be till they die, 
and then it is determined not by faith, but by works. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 61 

Can that faith save? There is no excuse for such an 
error, since the Bible thunders against it from Alpha to 
Omega. In Matt. 7: 22, 23 the Lord shows us how it 
will be in the judgment? "There will be many in that 
day who will say, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in 
thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy 
name done many wonderful works? And then will I 
profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart ye work- 
ers of iniquity." The above are not works of iniquity, 
but good works, yet they were performed by workers 
of iniquity. They are unregene'rate men, doing good 
works with a wrong motive, and not from the heart as 
unto the Lord. They did not love Christ and keep his 
commandments, because they loved him, but that they 
might be saved, or some other selfish motive; so their 
works were rotten in the core. Good works are good in 
their place, but like law, and water, and fire, they work 
destruction out of, their place. "Not of works," "not of 
works of law," "not of works of the law," "not of works 
of righteousness which we do," etc., were thundered from 
both Sinai and Sion, and if men will not hear and heed 
they will work out their own destruction with greediness. 
If a law had been given that could give life, Christ need 
not have died. 

No amount of good works, even of the right character, 
can save, because never so designed, as they are impo- 
tent in the matter of salvation. Though I speak with 
the tongues of men and angels, and have the gift of 
prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowl- 
edge, and have all miracle-working faith ; and bestow all 
my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be 
burned, it profiteth nothing if not prompted by love to 
God. The way to work salvation is to go up into heaven 
and bring Christ down, then go into hades and bring him 



62 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

up from the dead. Salvation requires that kind of work. 
An Arminian will say, "Believe on the Lord Jesus 
Christ and thou shalt be saved," and also assent to "all 
who believe" in my text, but he denies it all in his creed, 
in his preaching, in his life, and in his heart. They 
deceive themselves 'as well as others. They insist on 
injecting the Arminian "do" of the heathen jailer's ques- 
tion into the gracious faith of Paul's inspired answer. 
Paul connected a present faith with a future and forever 
salvation, as is so often done in the Scriptures, which 
Arminians boldly deny, and that shows they don't believe 
Paul's answer, nor Romans 1:16, nor Christ's promise 
of everlasting life as a present possession. If the Ar- 
minian insists on injecting the filthy rags of his own 
righteousness, which Paul compared to dung, and said 
he did not want to be found in any such righteousness 
of law, but only in the righteousness of God by faith; 
if a man rejects imputed righteousness as many boldly 
do, then his doom is seen in the man at the wedding, in 
his own garment, instead of the wedding garment pre- 
pared for him. Such can't have that faith "that works 
not (for salvation), but believes on him who justifies the 
ungodly," and hence his faith can't be counted unto him 
for righteousness; the right sort of faith can. I do not 
say that no Arminian can be saved, but if saved he will 
be saved contrary to his doctrine, the same as Catholics 
and others, and that is not very promising, but like the 
rich man, while not possible from a human standpoint, 
yet it is possible with God, and God can save such only 
by burning up their works and saving them as by fire, 
but they will suffer loss, and such a loss ! Let them and 
all examine themselves, whether they be in the faith, and 
let us exhort them to make their calling and election 
sure — that is, sure to themselves. Many are going to be 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 63 

deceived, and it is best not to help on their deception, 
but to convert all who err from the truth, and thus save 
their souls from death, and hide a multitude of sins. Let 
us contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered 
to the saints. "If ye love me, keep my commandments," 
and those who love and believe are born of God. Thus 
salvation is to all who believe. Obedience and service 
follow salvation by faith. 

OTHERS YET TO CUT OFF 

But the war on the text, Salvation to All Who Believe, 
has many other divisions in its army of adversaries. 
Reaction from dead externals brought forth some 250 
years ago the doctrine of PIETISM, which was de- 
manded, or there was no salvation. This magnifying of 
internals and minifying of externals brought forth of 
book in 1695 charging this new doctrine with 283 heresies. 
Not to all who believe, say the Pietists, but to all who 
had this type of Piety. This sect may not exist as such 
in this country, but the doctrine is here. . No difference 
say they about doctrines and duties, so the heart is right. 
The devil knew that bait would catch many, for so many 
want to get rid of doctrines and duties, and so they 
accept and cultivate these peculiar notions and emotions. 
Not all of a certain faith, say they, but to all of certain 
feelings. With their feelings developed into fanaticism 
they become infallible, intolerant, as well as intolerable. 
If that kind of salvation produce that kind of piety, or 
if that kind of piety produce that kind of salvation, then 
the Lord deliver us from either or both. I have had some 
experience with such in my churches, and much obser- 
vation of it with others ; hence, seeing their fruits, I pray 
to be delivered from further contact with it. Such piety 
is impious. It hates the doctrines, commandments and 



64 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

church of Jesus Christ. I believe in emotions and piety 
of the right kind, but the devil has been as zealous in 
perverting the internals as the externals. Right emo- 
tions come out of right doctrines and duties. "If ye 
know these things happy are ye if ye do them." By 
keeping Christ's words, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. 
and the Father and Son will dwell with us. Right doc- 
trines, duties and emotions go together, and any piety, 
so called, that separates them, is not of God, but of the 
devil, or of men. Love is an emotion, and "this is love, 
that ye keep his commandments." Salvation is not to 
all of a certain feeling, but to all of a certain faith. 

SANCTIFICATION 

Another large class akin to these say, The extent of 
the gospel is not to all who believe, but to all who are 
SANCTIFIED. And so say I, but it is to all who are 
sanctified by faith in Christ, and not to those only who 
are sanctified by fanatical feelings and notions of a 
certain kind. I don't believe in the second blessing 
sanctification, but in the first. If the extent of salvation 
is to be cut down to this kind of sanctification, then may 
we not rejoice that so few will be saved. What a pity 
to have otherwise good characters spoiled with this kind 
of sanctification. There is a striking illustration of this 
kind in Luke 18: 11, 12: "God, I thank thee that I am 
not as other men, or as this publican." I fast, and I give 
more than God requires, and I do and I do, and I do 
not and I do not. The publican, smiting his breast, and 
confessing his sin, and trusting to the antitype on the 
bloody altar before him went down to his house justified 
and sanctified by faith. This was a first blessing sancti- 
fication, and if he ever found any better it is not recorded. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 65 

The sanctification and justification of the poor, humble 
publican stand heaven-high above that of the proud, 
boasting Pharisee. 

ASSURANCE 

But there is a respectable class of Baptists, and very 
zealous as errorists generally are, who deny salvation to 
all who believe and confine it to ASSURANCE. I be- 
lieve m V e assurance of the gospel, as you may later see, 
but I don't believe in this kind of assurance. As I under- 
stand, t is an mtellectual process, or logical syllogism, 
which leaves no room for mental doubt. If one doubts 
this k nd of Assurance they say he is damned. The 
doctr ne is this: If God says so and so, and you believe 
that wl at God says is true, that makes it true to you. 
This intellectual faith produces an intellectual Assurance, 
and also intellectual pleasure, like other errors, but this 
kind of faith misses the mark. 

Saving faith is of the heart, and assurance is of the 
heart as well as of the understanding. When, under 
conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit, the heart is pierced 
with grief and godly sorrow, so as to make one cry unto 
men for help and unto God for mercy; and when the 
pentment trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of 
the soul, peace, and joy, take the place of grief and 
sorrow; "the burden rolls away," and then there is the 
experience of Assurance in the heart, as to forgiveness, 
salvation and justification. This is the first degree of 
assurance. But this new-born babe knows but little of 
the doctrines of the great salvation. Let him be baptized 
upon a profession of this possession in the heart, and then 
go on to assure his intellect of the deeper things of the 
gospel, such as substitution, security, second coming of 
Christ, resurrection, glorification, etc. This will bring 



66 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

him into the larger possession of Assurance of under- 
standing of the doctrines intended for those who had 
experienced the first lesson of Assurance of the 'heart. 
The second assurance of the intellect without the first 
assurance of the heart is a delusion. Substitution, second 
coming, resurrection, etc., are glorious and delightful doc- 
trines to believe intellectually, but the extent of salvation 
must not be confined to that kind of assurance which 
follows salvation, but it must be to all who first believed. 
I know from experience about these two degrees of 
assurance, or double assurance, if you prefer that desig- 
nation. I was convicted of sin, so that I had no rest. 
My soul was troubled and heavy ladened. I sought peace 
and rest. I cried unto God for mercy, and at last I 
committed my soul and life and all to him for salvation. 
Then peace came, and also joy and happiness, and I 
knew he had power on earth to forgive sins. Long after 
that, I believed the other soul-thrilling doctrines of the 
gospel, and found still more peace and joy and happiness. 
Thus I grew from assurance of the heart to assurance 
of faith, then to assurance of understanding, and then to 
the assurance of hope. But salvation is to all who 
believe. 

ELECTION PREDESTINATION 

But another class of Baptists who extend salvation, 
not to all who believe, but to all who are Elected and 
Predestinated. 

That is true as I hold it, and as the Scriptures teach 
it, but not true as these brethren hold it, for they make 
it deny my text, which proves a wrong spirit and a per- 
verted interpretation. It is oftener stated, to all who 
believe, than to all the elect, and both are true, but to 
make one statement deny the other is a perversion. One 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 67 

is true on the divine side, the other on the human side, 
and to deny the human side is to make the gospel of 
none effect, and prayer of none effect, repentance of none 
effect, and faith of none effect, and means and missions 
of none effect, and life and service of none effect, so far 
as salvation is concerned; for if God elected his children 
and predestinated their salvation, that secures the end. 
and God is left to carry out his own purposes of grace. 
and it is presumption for man to put his hand on the 
ark, or to the work. Those go so far as to say, the elect 
don't have to hear, believe and know. 

I do not deny that the end was purposed from the 
beginning, but I do deny that the end was accomplished 
from the beginning, nor could it ever be accomplished 
according to the predestinated means, if all held to this 
perverted view. The end is predestinated to be by grace 
through faith,. and faith comes by hearing and hearing 
of preaching, and preaching by being sent, which means 
missions. Election is of persons, and the means and 
agencies are predestinated. A doctrine may be rightly 
stated and wrongly related, emphasized and interpreted. 
Here are several illustrations of this. Many say that 
Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and so say I; but if they 
deny that he is the Son of man, as many do, they pervert 
the doctrine so as to make their statement of it deceptive 
and destructive. 

If he is not the MAN Christ Jesus; if he is not both 
human and divine, he is no Savior for us. 

On the other hand, many believe, as I do, in his human- 
ity, but deny his divinity. Here our seeming agreement 
leaves us the poles apart. Can that faith save? 

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and 'thou shalt be 
saved," is assented to by Universalists. but there is death 
in their statement of the truth, as they think all will be 



68 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

saved whether they believe or not. In making faith vain, 
they make their faith vain. Hence a Universalist doesn't 
believe to the saving of his soul, as he does not believe 
that faith instrumentally saves the soul. In making 
faith unnecessary to salvation he makes it unnecessary 
to his salvation, so he can't be saved. So the Arminian 
in adding works to faith, denies that it is to all who 
believe, and that, after assenting to the text. Take 
another statement. Baptism is necessary to church mem- 
bership and a prerequisite to the Lord's table, are state- 
ments that many hold to, and so do I, yet we have no 
fellowship for each other's interpretation and application 
of the statements, because we differ so widely in the defi- 
nition of the terms baptism and church. 

I agree with many that baptism sustains a relation to 
salvation, but if they make it the relation of substance 
to shadow, and I of shadow to substance, we are the 
poles apart in the interpretation of the statement, as they 
put the shadow before the substance and make the sub- 
stance depend on it, and I put the substance before the 
shadow, and make the shadow depend on the substance. 
Of course salvation is the substance, and baptism the 
shadow, or likeness, or figure. If the substance is not 
first, then the shadow or figure or likeness is nothing. 
It is a sham shadow. 

And so with election and predestination. I believe 
that all such will be saved, but I don't kill the statement 
with my interpretation of it. Look at some of the 
strongest Scriptures, and see how the divine and human 
are joined together. John 6:37: "All that the Father 
giveth me shall come to me." Verse 44: "No one can 
come except the Father draw him." Giving and draw- 
ing are the divine side, and coming is the human side. 
Verse 45: "And they (the elect) shall all be taught of 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 69 

God. Every one therefore that hath heard and that 
learned of the Father cometh unto me." Taught of 
God is the divine side; learning and coming, the human. 
The living bread must be eaten, and the living water 
must be drunken. There is both the divine and human. 
John 10: 15: "Other sheep I have which are not of this 
fold (his hidden elect) ; them also I must bring (divine 
side) and they shall hear my voice (human side). My 
sheep h'ear my voice and I know them, and they follow 
me." How beautifully interwoven are the human and 
divine sides. John 17: 2: "Thou hast given me authority 
over all flesh, that I should give eternal life to as many 
as thou hast given me." Strong as strong can be on the 
divine side. But what is eternal life? Read next verse: 
"And this is life eternal to know thee, the only true God 
and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." To say that 
the extent is to the elect and they don't have to know, 
that they can have life and no light is a damnable 
heresy. Verse 6: "I have manifested thy name unto the 
men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they 
were, and thou gavest them to me, and THEY HAVE 
KEPT THY WORD." Verse 9: "I pray for them, I 
pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast 
given me." "Neither pray I for these alone, but for all 
them also which shall believe on me through their word." 
Here the elect, the means and the end are joined together, 
and woe to him who puts them asunder. Acts 13: 48: 
"As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." 
Now reverse it: As many as believed were ordained to 
eternal life. If this does not stop the mouths of anti- 
missionaries and Arminians, then the word of God is 
powerless to do it. Acts 15: 14: "God visited the 
Gentiles to take of them a people for his name." How? 
"That the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the gospel 



70 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

and believe." "That the residue of men might seek 
after the Lord," etc. How plain and strong! 

In Romans 8: 28-30 we have his sovereign purpose, 
foreknowledge, predestination, but these are followed by 
the effectual call and justification and conformity to his 
image. The divine and human are coextensive. In Eph. 
1 : 3-13 we have personal election before the world was, 
predestination unto the adoption of children according 
to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his 
glorious grace; redemption through his blood, and for- 
giveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, 
abounding toward us, making known to us the mystery 
of his will according to his good pleasure which he pur- 
posed in himself; the final gathering together, the in- 
heritance predestinated according to the purpose of him 
who worketh all things after the council of his own will, 
etc., until it looks like it is all divine and no human left. 
But read the conclusion in verses 12 and 13: "That we 
should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in 
Christ. In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the 
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also 
having believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of 
promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance," etc. 
"Wherefore, after I heard of your faith and love, I cease 
not to give thanks." Was there ever such language? 
So strong on both sides, that woe to him who separates 
the human from the divine; and woe to him who sepa- 
rates the divine from the human, for they wrest the 
Scriptures to their own destruction. For by grace are 
ye saved through faith, and unto good works, and there- 
fore it is of faith that it might be by grace. Grace is 
the divine side and faith the human side, all beautifully 
blended. So of II Thes. 2: 13, our special text under 
the general text of Rom. 1: 16. Eternal personal elec- 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 71 

tion, to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, 
and belief of the truth, into which salvation ye were 
called by our gospel to the obtaining of final glory. The 
myriad minded, and lion-hearted Paul felt compelled to 
thank God always for these truths thus stated, and his 
conclusion is: Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold 
the traditions taught by our word or epistle. The above 
are briefs of these Scriptures and would appear stronger 
if space allowed their full quotation. And so of other 
Scriptures. 

Keep in mind that the gospel was not sent to infants 
and irresponsible persons, but to sinners who are dead 
through trespasses and sins; that is, dead to God, to 
Christ, to holiness, and to spiritual things; yet not dead 
mentally and morally, but so alive as to be wholly 
responsible to God for all transgressions of physical, 
moral, mental and social law, and also under infinite obli- 
gation to God for all his grace and goodness to them as 
natural men. These things they should know, and cursed 
are they if they do not know, as nature, providence and 
revelation are full of light and knowledge. 

Now, let me close with my boast in the Lord and of 
the Lord. Put a man hi prison, and "deny him the 
benefits of clergy." Bind him with a coil of rope till he 
can't twich a muscle. Cut off his hands and feet, and 
pluck out his eyes, and tongue, and otherwise torment, 
deny and deprive him. Or, nail his hands and feet to a 
cross, and let the Savior be in a worse fix than he — if 
such an one from the heart will repent and pray, and 
confess to God, and believe in the Crucified One, though 
he moves not his lips or eyes, and can't move His muscles 
and members — I defy men and devils and devilish devices 
to thwart his salvation; yea, all such opposition might 
be made to turn out rather to the favor and furtherance 



72 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

of his cause and case. "Tribulation, nor distress, nor 
persecution, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, nor 
sword; nor death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor 
height, nor depth, nor any other creature (or created 
thing) shall be able to separate us from the love of God 
in Christ Jesus." Full of grace and endurance. 

What is it men and devils have not done to pervert the 
Benevolence, the Invitations, the Means, the Demands, 
the Power, the Effect, and the Extent of the gospel. Be 
not ignorant of his devices, nor of the traditions of men 
that make void the voice of God. Loudly and lastly: 
I am not ashamed of the Extent of the gospel — It is 
"SALVATION TO ALL WHO BELIEVE." 



Chapter VIII 

I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE ORDER OF THE 
GOSPEL 

"First to the Jews and also to the Greeks." Rom. 1:17. 

Nationally, personally and doctrinally considered, God 
is the God of Order, and not of confusion. He brought 
order out of chaos, and it is called kosmos— world, which 
means order, or system. 

He also ordered the planetary and stella relations, and 
that is called universe, which means universal order. 
The smallest insects have organisms, and that implies 
order. The ages are set in order, and they will begin and 
end on time. 

He appointed the nations their bounds of territory 
and time. What order in the human body and also in 
the church, when rightly organized and ordered! So 
the order of doctrine, called Systematic Theology. 

Death results from disorder. Hence Order is a vital 
element of the Gospel and must be maintained. An error 
in the Order, is as harmful as error in doctrine. I am not 
ashamed of the national order of the Gospel, which was 
"to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" or Gentile. 

Abraham is the first of the Jewish nation. As all the 
world was idolators, God chose Abraham and brought 
him out of his surroundings, and from his parents, and 
put him in private school, so he could discipline and 
develop him. 

73 



74 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

From a human standpoint as well as Scriptural, Abra- 
ham was and is "the father of the faithful," and "father 
of us all." He was a great man by divine grace. His 
trials were very great, especially the trials of his faith 
in leaving his country and kin, and in believing that what 
God had promised concerning a son and seed as numer- 
ous as the stars or sand, when he and his wife were as 
good as dead; yet against hope believed in hope, and 
staggered not at the promise of God, but was strong in 
faith; and being fully persuaded that what He had 
promised He was able also to perform, etc. 

See his faith also in the offering of his son Isaac on 
the altar. From him sprung a people called Hebrews or 
Jews, to whom the oracles of God and the covenants 
and promises were committed. How faithful they were 
in keeping the oracles, though they often and grievously 
disobeyed their precepts, for which they were allowed to 
be taken captive by other nations ; and how in captivity 
they made known the true God and His Word! In this 
and divers ways and times of captivity the Word went 
out from the Jews to the Gentiles. 

And when the Christ came, the Jews were in subjection 
to the Romans, yet the order of the Gospel was still 
observed. 

"First to the Jews." "Go not to the Gentiles, nor to 
Samaria, but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 
It was wise not to bother the heathen with the Gospel, 
till it is accepted and experienced by those who had the 
advantage of knowing, and when the time came for it 
to go to all the world, they must tarry at Jerusalem for 
the first victory. 

Right there, where he was crucified, buried and risen, 
let the Gospel first be preached. Convert those who 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 75 

crucified him, those who gloried in his death as a male- 
factor, and who denied his resurrection and ascension. 
Don't run off and bother strangers with strange and 
incredible things, until they are proven true at home and 
to the worst of enemies. 

Charge the Jews with the death of Christ, and prove 
to them that he arose and ascended and will come again, 
and command them to repent and then turn to the Lord. 

As the result of the first day's work 3,000 were pain- 
fully convicted of these truths, and were joyfully con- 
verted, and were baptized and added to the church. 

Again, Acts 4:4, "Howbeit many of them that heard 
the Word believed, and the number of the men were 
about 5,000." 

Again, 5:14, "Many more were being added, such as 
were believing in the Lord." 

Again, 6:7, "The Word of God increased, and the 
number of disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and 
a great company of the priests were obedient to the 
faith." 

Let Stephen be stoned, and Saul give consent, and 
persecute the church at Jerusalem, and make havoc of it, 
and scatter the members abroad throughout Judea and 
Samaria, as they will not go voluntarily; but let them 
go preaching the Word. Let Philip preach Christ in a 
city of Samaria, and the people with one accord shall 
give heed and believe and be baptized. Let Saul start 
to Damascus on his bloody mission and let him go 
"breathing out threatening slaughter," but I will take 
him in hand and reveal myself to him and in him, and 
then I will send him to the Gentiles. 

Let Peter go to the house of Cornelius and bring salva- 
tion through the Word and I will show him and all the 



76 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

world that I am "no respecter of persons," for I will 
pour out my Spirit upon that Gentile house, and will 
give them tongues with which to magnify God, and as 
many as shall receive the Holy Spirit will be baptized. 

Then go on to the uttermost parts of the earth, con- 
quering and to conquer. Then they cannot chide you for 
not beginning at Jerusalem and with the Jews. I am 
proud of the Order, first to the Jews and then to the 
Gentiles. 

But not only am I proud of the Personal Order, first 
to the Jews and then to the Gentiles, but I am not 
ashamed of the Doctrinal Order of the Gospel. 

And here the devil has done his worst again, by so 
confusing the Order of Doctrine as to wreck the end 
proposed. FIRST make the tree good, and THEN the 
fruit will be good, is the divine and rational Order. The 
fountain must be first made pure or the stream cannot 
be pure. 

B comes before C, C before D, and D before E; or, 
a man must be, in order to see; and see, in order to do; 
and do, in order to enjoy. 

This order is philosophical as well as Scriptural. 
Except one be "born again," "born of God," "born 
of the Spirit," "born from above" — all equivalent expres- 
sions — he can't see or discern spiritual things, no more 
than one can see or discern natural things without a 
natural birth. The new birth and new creation are 
closely akin and so "created in Christ Jesus UNTO 
good works" is the necessary Order so generally rejected 
• or reversed. 

A man cannot desire to enter the Kingdom of God 
unless he is spiritual, so he can discern its spiritual na- 
ture, which consists, not in meat and drink for the nat- 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 77 

ural man, like earthly kingdoms, "but in righteousness 
and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." "For he that in 
these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and 
approved of men." Rom. 14:17-18. 

A man must be saved before he can serve acceptably 
and profitably. One must be baptized, which is putting 
on the uniform, before he is fit for the Lord's army. 

The Arminian way of serving and doing in order to be 
saved, or in order to be spiritual, is the Gospel order 
reversed, and ends in defeat. The order of repentance 
and faith is fixed by the Scriptures and is so philosophical 
and necessary that to reverse the order is to destroy both 
repentance and faith. Repentance, prayer, faith, hope, 
and love is the infallible Order — to change which is to 
wreck the whole Gospel system. It is the invariable 
order of Scripture, to change which is suicidal disorder. 

If faith in Christ or saving faith as it is defined comes 
before repentance, and repentance changes "the mind, as 
all admit, then repentance after faith necessarily destroys 
the work of faith; and if faith saves, then the salvation 
and faith are both destroyed by such disorder. 

John and Christ and Apostles Peter and Paul, all 
preached repentance first and then faith, and "when they 
believed, they were baptized." That is the time to bap- 
tize, but the above disorder would put baptism before 
conviction, godly sorrow, repentance, prayer and confes- 
sion, which is contrary to the Order of the Gospel and 
fatal to the soul, as the others are not expected to follow 
baptism. I am not ashamed of any order of the Gospel, 
for it is the wisdom of God, but I am unspeakably 
ashamed of the disorder that men have forced, contrary 
to all Scripture, in all things that God has orderly ar- 
ranged, as regards both Persons and Doctrines. 



78 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

GRACE AND CHARACTER 

Arminians say, and boast loud, long and late that God 
respects character and then quote: "God is no respecter 
of persons" to prove it. Of course God respects character 
in the matter of rewards, but saving grace finds no char- 
acter to respect, and if it could, it could not give salvation 
because of it. They say that election, predestination, 
regeneration, salvation, forgiveness, justification, sanc- 
tification, preservation, glorification, etc., are based on 
character. One of their great ones states it thus: God 
foreknows all things, and whom he foreknows to be good, 
to comply with the Scripture conditions, he predestinates 
to eternal life." See more such in Exceeding Riches of 
Grace, pp. 195-198. So we make character for ourselves 
by complying with conditions, for and in consideration 
of which grace is due. This is the gospel inverted and 
grace perverted. Character is not the cause of grace, 
but grace is the cause of character. Paul says: "For I 
am the least of »the apostles, that am not meet to be 
called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of 
God." 

"But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his 
grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; 
but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not 
I, but the grace of God which was with me." I Cor. 
15:9-10. 

Grace found Paul a persecuter of the church of God. 
Read Matt. 13:34-36; Rom. 15:18; II Cor. 3:5; Eph. 
3:7; Phil. 2:13, etc. Grace gives character. Character 
has its characteristics, but which is first? Do character- 
istics produce character, or does character produce char- 
acteristics? The fruit is the characteristic of the tree, 
and infallibly decides its character, but which is first, 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 79 

the tree or fruit? And how did the tree get its character? 
The fruit can't impart its character to the tree, but the 
tree imparts its character to the fruit. The man that 
can't see this must have been blind from his birth. 

Is religion the cause of character, or character the 
cause of religion? Does character produce salvation, or 
does salvation produce character? How much character 
must a man make before he can get salvation? Is 
salvation no better, no more reliable and enduring than 
the character? Of course as "primal salvation" is based 
on character, so "final salvation" must also. This neces- 
sitates the doctrine of falling from grace, not only as a 
possibility but a certainty. Yet they tell us that preser- 
vation is based on character. The preservation of some 
things depends on character, but the salvation of the 
soul is not one of these things, in either its "primal" or 
"final" state. Character SHOWS salvation, but it can't 
give it. If God respects character in the matter of 
salvation, then salvation is of ourselves, both "primal" 
and "final." Then salvation is of works of righteousness 
which we do or can do. A man is not good because he 
does good, but he does good because he is good. A man 
is not righteous because he does righteousness, but he 
does righteousness because he is righteous. He that does 
righteousness is born of God. I John 2:29. The tense 
the Holy Spirit used makes it stronger — has been born 
of God. 

The birth must come first, the same as in the natural 
life. He that walks and talks has been born. The birth 
must be first. The same epistle tells us that, "Every 
one that loveth has been born of God and knoweth God." 
I John 4:7. The tense is "has been." "Every one that 
loveth has been born of God and knoweth God." The 
birth must come first, hence it is not based on good 



80 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

character, but in spite of bad character which makes the 
new birth a necessity. He that believeth is, or rather 
has been, born of God. I John 5:1. Faith comes after 
the new birth. The Holy Spirit put it that way, and 
if it does not agree with our way, then our way is wrong. 
It is the same Arminian disposition to get out character 
as the basis of grace. To make salvation or grace in any 
fashion depend on faith is the same as making it depend 
on ourselves, and that makes salvation of ourselves, and 
not the gift of God. Good works, love, faith, hope, etc., 
are the fruits of the new birth. They show faith but 
can't bring forth such fruits as salvation, etc. An un- 
regenerate sinner cannot love God or discern spiritual 
things, but is at enmity to one and blind to the other 
Except a man be born again he can't see the Kingdom of 
God. Nature before character, and life before action. 
It can't be otherwise, in natural or spiritual things. If 
you ask now what is the cause of the new birth, the 
answer is, sovereign grace. See John 1:12-13; 3:6-8; 
Jas. 1:19, etc. If you now ask why this sovereign saving 
grace was not extended to all, I must refer you to Rom. 
9:18-33, and 11:5-7, etc. On the other hand, as many 
as were ordained to eternal life believed, and the promise 
is to as many as the Lord our God shall call according 
to his purpose and his promise, which was given us in 
Christ Jesus before the world began. All that the Father 
gave the Son shall come to him and none can come except 
the Father draw him. Let us not reply against God. 
If one thinks this doctrine is unfavorable to character, 
and many so think and. say, let them look to the fruits 
of the doctrine. The finest characters ever in the world 
were those who believed and preached this doctrine. 
Christ and Paul, and Spurgeon and Boyce, and thou- 
sands of others compare favorably with any on the other 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 81 

side, with this difference — one was the genuine article, 
and the other the counterfeit. Christ called them hypo- 
crites, although orthodox in the letter and beautiful 
without. The one who is trying to become good by 
doing good belongs to this class. 

Again, I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE ORDER 
OF LAW AND GRACE, OR WORKS AND GRACE, 
OR WORKS AND SALVATION, which is not of Law 
or of Works. Hence the question that illustrates this: 
IS SALVATION CONDITIONAL OR UNCONDI- 
TIONAL? These terms are both unscriptural and inap- 
propriate to the subject, and every effort made to make 
them fit, to my mind, is a palpable misfit. Harm has 
been done by the use of these terms. The "conditions" 
laid down with varying order and emphasis and number 
are about these: Repentance, prayer, faith, confession, 
baptism, church membership, Lord's Supper, good works, 
confirmation, endurance to the end, with extreme unction, 
holy burial and masses. Salvation in some sense is predi- 
cated of some of the above terms, and sustains some sort 
of relation to them, but if the relation is that of condi- 
tions to an end in one case, it should be the same in the 
others. Put these couplets together. "Believe in the 
Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved." "He that 
endureth to the end, the same shall be saved." It would 
be difficult to show faith a condition of salvation in one 
case, and endureth to the end not a condition in the 
other case. Repentance is "unto life" and "unto salva- 
tion," and "except ye repent ye shall perish." Do these 
statements make repentance a condition of salvation? 
Then "Whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord 
shall be saved," would make prayer a condition of salva- 
tion. 

But how can calling on the Lord be a condition of 



82 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

salvation when God says of some, "they may call, but 
I will not answer; and I was found of them that sought 
me not." "How can they call on him of whom they 
have not heard; and how can they hear without a 
preacher?" This would make calling on the Lord an 
impossible condition to the heathen, yea, hearing an 
impossible condition, since they can't hear without a 
preacher; yea, the preaching an impossible condition to 
them, since the preacher must be sent to them. 

Now all these statements express some sort of relation 
to salvation, but none of them the relation of a condi- 
tion of salvation imposed on the heathen. The right 
relation they sustain to salvation is reserved for a later 
statement. 

Except a sinner be convicted of sin he can't be saved, 
is a Bible doctrine, though not strictly a Bible statement. 
But conviction of sin is not made a condition of salvation 
to a sinner, and why? Because, though a sinner should 
seek to know T himself and sin that dwells in him, yet the 
conviction necessary to his salvation is the work of the 
Holy Spirit; hence something deeper and more spiritual 
than the sinner can produce in himself. Such a condition 
is too much for the sinner, hence to him not a condition 
of salvation, for if so, it is an impossible one for him 
to comply with. Except the sinner hears he can't be 
saved. This states a fact, but does not make hearing 
a condition, for he must hear aright, and that is too much 
for the sinner. He needs divine help. His ears must 
be circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, 
the praise and glory of which belong to God. Here is 
Christ's unequivocal statement of the matter: "Why do 
ye not understand my speech? Because ye cannot hear 
my word?" "He that is of God heareth God's words; 
ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God." 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 83 

Jno. 8:43-47. They were hearing, but with uncircum- 
cised ears. So let the sinner take heed how he hears. 
If the sinner must hear according to the ability God 
gives, then hearing is not a condition. Without him we 
can do nothing as we ought to do it, so our infirmities 
must be helped, and God must have the glory for every 
good work that is wrought in us. And here let me ask: 
Does not the use of the term condition obscure God's 
grace at every step that grace displays? 

Born of God, born of the Spirit, born from above, born 
again, are equivalent expressions, and mean regeneration, 
and are necessary to salvation. So that except one be 
regenerated he cannot be saved. This states a fact, but 
it does not make regeneration a condition of salvation, 
for that would require the sinner to regenerate himself. 
It will not do to say that regeneration is a condition of 
salvation, but not to the sinner, because it can't be per- 
formed by him, but that repentance is to the sinner a 
condition, because it can be performed by him; for re- 
pentance that is of ourselves is like anything else that 
is of ourselves, no better than the fountain from which 
the stream flows, and no better than the tree on which 
the fruit grows. 

A sinner must come to Christ to be saved, but coming 
is not a condition, for "no man can come except the 
Father draw him." If coming is a condition, it is an 
impossible one, and those who use the term emphasize 
the fact that conditions are not impossible to those upon 
whom they are imposed. 

Except ye repent ye shall perish, states a fact, but 
not a condition, for repentance, like every other good 
thing, is the gift of God. Repentance is unto or into 
life and salvation, and if a sinner of himself can repent, 
then of himself he can repent into life, or into salvation. 



84 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

and hence is not dependent on Christ, but Christ, for his 
holy and promised seed, is dependent on sinners. If 
repentance is of the sinner, then it is not the fruit of 
regeneration, but regeneration is the fruit of repentance, 
and repentance the fruit of a corrupt tree. 

Salvation is often predicated of faith, but that does 
not make faith a condition for reasons like those above. 
Jesus said, "Ye believe not because ye are not of my 
sheep. My sheep hear, and believe, and know, and 
follow, and are persuaded," etc. So faith does not make 
a man Christ's sheep, but regeneration does. 

In John 6:64-65 he says: "There are some who believe 
not, and he knew from the beginning who believed not, 
therefore he said no man can come unto me except it 
were given unto him of my Father." If faith was a 
condition to Judas, it was to Peter, and the same sort of 
condition to both. But to Judas it was according to 
the above an impossible condition; therefore if a con- 
dition to Peter it was an impossible one, like those in 
John 12:39. Therefore they could not believe, and this 
conditionalists will not allow. The faith that is unto- 
into salvation is not of the sinner, for if so, salvation 
does not depend on the grace of God, but on the faith 
of the sinner. What is called saving faith is of God — 
the gift of God and not the act of the creature, for how 
can faith be an act? There are acts and works of faith, 
but faith is the gracious gift of God producing the works. 
To fail to discern between the noun faith and the verb 
believe is a serious blunder that leads to perpetual con- 
fusion. The hearing ear and the seeing eye are the gifts 
of God; the use of them are acts of the creature. Is 
there any difference between the gifts and the acts? 
How can a man see if he has not sight? And how 
is a man born blind to get sight? Now faith is the eye 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 85 

of the soul, and the soul has been spiritually blind from 
birth. Can the soul see things spiritual, invisible and 
eternal without sight? And how is the soul to get sight 
that it may see? Does seeing depend on sight or sight 
on seeing? To state it more fully; does the act of seeing 
depend on the gift of sight? If the blind man could see 
he would not fall in the ditch; and if we believed we 
would not perish. These are clear statements of facts, 
of parallel facts, but how is the one to see and the other 
to believe? Shall we preach seeing and believing as 
conditions to the end? If so, the preaching would be 
vain. There is a way to both see and believe, but it is 
not the conditional way, but the opposite way, the way 
of grace. "By grace through faith, and that not of 
yourselves, it is the gift of God." 

Again, salvation is predicated of confession, and that 
shows that there is a relation between confession and 
salvation ; but if the relation is properly expressed by the 
word condition, then faith as a condition failed to save, 
since it is the believer that must confess. "Whosoever 
shall confess me before men, him will I confess before 
my Father and before the angels." In other words, he 
shall be saved. "God dwelleth in him and he in God." 
These scriptures state facts, and show a relation between 
confession and salvation, but they do not make confes- 
sion a condition of salvation. If so, then the believer 
has not everlasting life, and can come into condemnation, 
since a time must elapse, and maybe a long time must 
necessarily intervene between faith and confession, as 
a man might believe while alone, and might be a long 
time in that isolated condition, and so remain unsaved 
if confession is a further condition, as the similar state- 
ment is supposed to imply. 

There is also a relation between baptism and salvation, 



86 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

remission of sins, the death of Christ, and resurrection, 
but this cannot make baptism a condition of these bless- 
ings for reasons weightier than worlds and more precious 
than gold and gems and diadems. For if baptism were 
a condition it must necessarily be THE condition, since 
the believing penitent who has publicly confessed Christ 
is yet in his sins, and if he dies must be lost. This would 
make repentance, faith and confession with all the prom- 
ises thereto, vain and void, unless something else is done 
to us by a man, which would make salvation depend 
wholly upon the man, who might not, or would not, or 
could not perform it. Add to this the spiritual charac- 
ter of all obedience to make it acceptable to God, and 
which is to any saint impossible, "for without me ye can 
do nothing," and hence doubly so to an unregenerate 
sinner, for such is not subject to the law of God, neither 
indeed can be. Such a candidate for baptism, being yet 
in the flesh and not in the spirit, cannot please God. 
Being only a natural man, he cannot receive the things 
of the -Spirit of God, neither can he know them, because 
they are spiritually discerned. Being yet not born of 
God, he can't see the kingdom of God. Hence his bap- 
tism is destitute of spiritual character and unacceptable 
to God. 

Let me repeat and close by saying that salvation sus- 
tains an important relation to repentance, faith, conces- 
sion, baptism, good works and " endurance to the end," 
but it is a relation too sacred and too spiritual to be 
called by the legal term of condition to an end. Let us 
magnify the scriptural terms of "way" and "means" 
of salvation, and drop forever the unscriptural term and 
legal idea of conditions of salvation. 

Generation is birth of the flesh, and regeneration is 
birth of the spirit, and neither is by the will of man, 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 87 

but both by the will of God. "Of his own will begat 
he us with the word of truth/' preached or spoken or 
read by men. These are means and agencies used, but 
they can't constitute conditions, for then the end must 
result every time the means are used, which all know 
is not true. Conditions bind both parties to the contract, 
and God would be bound to give the birth in cases when 
the conditions are complied with. If planting and plow- 
ing are conditions of daily bread, then God will not do 
to trust, for he does not always give as in the other 
two cases. Quinine is a well-established means for the 
cure of certain diseases, but if a conditional remedy, then 
none could get well without it and none could die with 
it. We know that many get well without it and many 
die with it; therefore it is not a conditional remedy, but 
means to an end, leaving room for prayer. Conditions 
leave no room for prayer. 

The Campbellites are right in denying the need of 
prayer if the so-called steps are conditions. If the con- 
ditions are right and they comply, they can demand the 
result as they claim. If our two steps are conditions, 
and their four steps are conditions, then we both have 
the same legal plan of salvation, with the advantages 
on their side, as the more law and works the better. 
Repentance, Faith and Love are works of righteousness 
which we do, and their expression in obedience cannot 
militate against their value. 

Election, Predestination, Redemption, Atonement, 
Conviction, Regeneration, Effectual Call, Forgiveness, 
Justification, Sanctification, Preservation, Resurrection, 
Glorification, are all on the divine side, and they teach 
what God did and does for us and in us and with us; 
while Repentance. Prayer, Faith, Love and Obedience 
are our responsive expressions. Human instrumentality 



88 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

with the help of divine truth, with the Spirit "working 
in us both to will and to do": these are all in the way 
to, and in the way of, salvation; some are internal and 
impressive, and some external and expressive, and they 
constitute the "way" and the "means" to the "end," but 
conditions and unconditions have no place and no busi- 
ness in this highway of holiness. If we speak only as 
the Bible speaks, much of our foolishness would cease. 
Why insist on using terms the Holy Spirit never used? 
There are conditions of salvation in the true sense of 
the word, but that is never used. It is always the legal, 
unscriptural, ungracious sense that men so flippantly use. 
If the physical or mental or moral man may be in a good 
or bad condition, so may the spiritual man. There are 
as many conditions for the lost as for the others, and 
while we can't improve salvation itself, yet these condi- 
tions of salvation may be greatly improved. These con- 
ditions vary and are changeable, but if they were legal 
conditions they would not and could not and should not 
be changed in any case. So that, if there are two condi- 
tions — Repentance and Faith — as some Baptists teach, 
then there are not four, and the man who says that the 
two were not sufficient for him, should not be credited 
with what he disclaims. It is discourteous to recognize 
one saved contrary to his faith, especially if he contends 
against it. It is inconsistent, discourteous, and hypo- 
critical to call a man "brother" contrary to his preten- 
sions, contentions, intentions, confessions, professions, 
possessions and creed. It is insincere and dangerous. 



Chapter IX 

THE ANTIQUITY OF THE GOSPEL 

The History of the Gospel Traced Through the 
Scriptures, Without Beginning or End 

I am not Ashamed of the Antiquity of the Gospel. 
It is from everlasting to everlasting. This I will attempt 
to prove. 

How proud and boastful are men of antiquity. Some 
have churches and creeds which constitute their Gospel 
and which they feel called to preach, or justified in 
preaching, and which they think are necessary to salva- 
tion, and yet these churches and creeds may be a hun- 
dred years old, more or less, and often less, for many 
have celebrated their semi-centennial; and when they 
celebrate their centennials, whether first, secon'd or third, 
they acknowledge before heaven and earth that they 
are that old, and no older. We will try to see how 
shameful this is at the close of this chapter. Is it not 
glorying in their shame? Of the many strong texts on 
Gospel Antiquity, I will choose one of the feast, II Thes. 
2:13-14: 

"But we are bound to give thanks always to God for 
you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath 
from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanc- 
tification of the Spirit and belief of the truth : Into which 
salvation he called you by our Gospel, to the obtaining 
of the final of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

89 



90 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

"Beginning" is a relative term and must be defined 
from its connection. 

"Ye have been with me from the beginning." 

"Ye have known from the beginning." 

"Ye have heard from the beginning." 

"I told ye from the beginning." 

These have their own beginnings which are determined 
from their connections. 

"The devil sinneth from the beginning, and was a mur- 
derer from the beginning," fall under their own con- 
nection. 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was 
God, and the same was in the beginning with God," has 
its origin at another time. 

The "beginning of sorrows," "beginning anew," and 
"beginning again" show the pliability of the word. 

The text throws the beginning into the indefinite past, 
and that is why I chose it. It contains many Gospel 
terms, such as election, salvation, sanctification, belief, 
truth, the effectual call, the means, the purpose, the end 
in glory. 

The Gospel has had several beginnings that I am not 
ashamed of, but I am ashamed of those who would urge 
these beginnings or new starts, or revivals, against its 
Antiquity. 

A revival of religion, or other great interests, is not the 
origin, nor do such revivals militate against their an- 
tiquity. Nations, and especially 'the Jews, have come 
to an end, as to organization, territory, etc., and then 
had a new beginning. The Jews are soon to begin their 
nationality again. The opposition and persecution were 
so great as to overcome them for the time, but they 
rallied again. So the Gospel has had more opposition, 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 91 

and the most fierce persecution of all things, and at 
times, and for a time, it has suffered seeming defeat, 
but not final defeat; all of which was according to 
prophecy. The enemy, it was foretold, should prevail 
for 1,260 years, but the Gospel was to have another 
beginning, and run for a season. Let us begin with this 
last beginning. 

It is believed by many that the Philadelphian age 
was the Protestant age, about A. D. 1500. In that age, 
a door was to be shut and a door opened, and the door 
of persecution was largely shut, and the door of missions 
was largely opened. The Gospel had been driven into 
the dens and caves of the earth and into the mountain 
fastnesses, and detained for the 1,260 years, and the time 
had come in John's vision for a new beginning. 

So we read in Rev. 14:6: ''And I saw another angel 
fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel 
to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every 
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." 

Angel means messenger, and stands in the vision for 
the messengers who had the proclamation of the Gospel 
committed to them; that is, to those who believed in 
world-wide missions. It was not a new Gospel, but the 
everlasting Gospel, the one and only Gospel from eter- 
nity to eternity. It has lasted till yet, and will last 
forevermore. There is but one way of salvation; never 
was but one, and never can be any other. Moses and 
Elijah talked with Christ on the holy mount about his 
decease, or exodus, and I think that includes the Gospel, 
and that it showed in type that the risen and translated 
saints when glorified with Christ as they were will talk 
about his decease or death, which means the Gospel in 
one word. So the Gospel will not end with time. Then 



92 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

the time of John's vision, A. D. 1500, was another begin- 
ning of world-wide missions — to every nation, kindred, 
tongue and people. Of course the Gospel was never com- 
mitted to anti-missionaries. The historical facts verify 
this interpretation, for about A. D. 1500 one door, 
through which persecution was allowed so long to go on, 
was closed, and the door of missions, so long and tightly 
barred, was opened again. This was a new beginning 
of the everlasting Gospel; that is, of its proclamation to 
all nations. There had been a long, dark night before 
this beginning. 

It had another beginning A. D. 33. Luke 24: "And 
he said unto them, These are the words which I spake 
unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must 
be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and 
in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 

"Then opened he their understanding, that they might 
understand the Scriptures. 

"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it 
behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the 
third day: 

"And that repentance, and remission of sins, should 
be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at 
Jerusalem. 

"And ye are witnesses of these things." 

The beginning at Jerusalem refers to the great day of 
pentecost, some fifty days ahead. Then and there was 
to be a beginning, not of the Gospel, but of its beginning 
on its world-wide mission. 

The previous restraints and restrictions — not to go to 
the Gentiles, and "not to go to the Samaritans," but only 
"to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" — these restric- 
tions were to be taken off on the day of pentecost, and 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 93 

the same Gospel that had been preached, was to go to all 
nations, teaching them all things whatsoever Christ had 
commanded, and not what Peter would command. First 
at Jerusalem, then throughout Judea; then through Sa- 
maria; then to the whole world. 

After Christ left the earth, nothing new in doctrine 
could be true, but the old was always pure gold. The 
Holy Spirit brought to the inspired apostles what Christ 
had taught. His work and doctrine were finished when 
he ascended. The 47th verse should read: And that 
repentance unto remissions of sins, trusting upon his 
name, should be preached among all nations, beginning 
at Jerusalem. So Peter preached in Acts 2:38, repent- 
ance, trusting upon the name of Jesus Christ for remis- 
sion of sins. And so he preached in Acts 10:43 to the 
Gentiles. So Paul preached repentance toward God and 
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Going backward three years we read of another begin- 
ning in Mark 1:1: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus 
Christ the Son of God" It should read a beginning, as 
there is no definite article in the original. This begin- 
ning refers to both the preaching of John the Baptist, 
and also of Christ. Of course Mark was introducing his 
narrative of Christ's Gospel, but gave John, as the fore- 
runner mentioned in the prophets. The interbiblical 
period had been a long night of darkness — no prophet, 
no vision, no dream, no communication from God since 
Malachi, the last prophet. This was a grand, great, 
glorious beginning after such a long night. All Jeru- 
salem, Judea, etc., went out to be baptized of John; and 
Jesus, through his disciples, baptized more than John. 
Baptism was not the Gospel, but the new profession of 
subjection to the Gospel. John did not preach baptism, 
and Paul said "he was not sent to baptise, but to preach 



94 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

the Gospel." John preached repentance, and when mul- 
titudes tried to be baptized, he told them that his was 
the baptism o/_ repentance, and that they must also be- 
lieve in him who was to come. That is, repentance 
toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, just 
as Paul preached it. Heb. 2:2 says the Lord preached 
the GOSPEL, but some deny it. 

Let us now go backward again 626 years, to Hab. 2:4: 
"Behold, his soul is puffed up (with self-righteousness) ; 
it is not upright (or straight) in him (as he thought), 
but the just shall live by faith/' This is quoted in Rom. 
1:17, when Paul was arguing the plan of salvation. Also 
in Gal. 3:11, when proving his plan of salvation, Paul 
says: "Now that no man is justified by law in the sight 
of God, is evident, for the just shall live by faith." If 
his plan was in accord with the old Scriptures it was 
right. He did the same in Heb. 10:38: "The just shall 
live by faith." Not only must one be justified by faith, 
but the justified by faith must live by faith, and thus 
it was from faith to faith. Paul always proved his points 
from the Scriptures, and that meant the old Scriptures, 
as there were none other. So Job's old question: "How 
can a man be just before God?" never had but one 
answer, and can never have but one. Principles and 
truths are unchangeable. 

Now let's go back 700 years before Christ. Paul in 
Rom. 10:10-11, in arguing the plan of salvation, lays 
down his proposition, with the proof of it from the old 
Scriptures : 

"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness ; 
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

"For the Scriptures saith, Whosoever believeth on him 
shall not be ashamed." 

He quotes this from Isa. 28:16; 49:23, and Jer. 17:7-; 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 95 

Ps. 34:22. It was sin that caused shame and fear, but 
faith gives free and joyful access to God. Salvation 
brings remission, and both are of faith, and always were, 
and always must be of faith. 

Going back again to 800 years B. C., we find in Joel 
2:32: "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord 
shall be delivered." Paul quotes this in proof of his 
proposition in Rom. 10:12-13, "For there is no difference 
between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over 
all is rich unto all that call upon him. 

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord 
shall be saved" 

Peter also quoted this in Acts 2:21 to show the way 
of salvation. Peter told a sinner to repent and pray that 
his sins might be forgiven. Convicted sinners always 
did call on God for mercy, forgiveness and salvation, and 
always will. The Scriptures are full of it. So Joel, Peter 
and Paul taught the one way of salvation, and that 
shows the Gospel in Joel. 

Let us tap again at 1050 B. C. Paul in Rom. 4:4-5 
laid down the way of justification by faith and in verses 
6-8 he brought in David for his witness: 

"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned 
of grace, but of debt. 

"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him 
that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for 
righteousness. 

"Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the 
man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without 
works. 

"Saying, Happy are they whose iniquities are forgiven, 
and whose sins are covered. 

"Happy is the man to whom the Lord will not impute 



96 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

So Paul and David preached the same Gospel. Peter 
in Acts 4:11-12 says, "This is the stone which was set at 
nought of you builders, which is become the head of the 
corner. 

"Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is 
none other name under heaven given among men whereby 
we must be saved." 

This he quotes from Ps. 118:22 and Isa. 28:6. Christ 
also quoted it in Matt. 21:42. 

The Psalms is as orthodox as Paul's epistle to the 
Romans. Sound on sin, conviction, godly sorrow for 
sin, repentance, prayer, faith, confession, morality, piety, 
prayer, perseverance, endurance, church attendance, etc., 
on the _ human side; and on the divine side, election, 
predestination, redemption, regeneration, forgiveness, 
justification, sanctification, preservation, resurrection, 
glorification and all else that belongs to the Gospel is 
taught in the Psalms. As a hymn-book it is thoroughly 
orthodox, by the side of which our hymn-books are not 
to be compared. Our latest and best is misleading on 
eschatology. The index has no second coming of Christ, 
and every hymn touching on it is misleading. It has 
many hymns on going to heaven that are deceptive and 
delusive. The Psalms are right on both of these subjects 
and all others. 

David in the end will rank above the apostles, for 
they will sit on thrones and judge tribes, while David 
will be king over all Israel His name is mentioned 560 
times in the book of Samuel; 94 times in Kings; 255 
times in Chronicles ; 10 times in Isaiah ; 15 times in Jere- 
miah; also by Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, Zachariah; 16 times 
in Matthew; 7 times in Mark; 13 times in Luke; 2 times 
in John; 11 times in Acts; 3 in Romans; 2 in Hebrews, 
and 3 in Revelation. Christ "hath the key of David," 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 97 

"is of the root of David/' and in the last chapter, 16th 
verse, Christ says, "I am the root and the offspring of 
David." The Gospel by which David was saved is good 
enough for me. What other Gospel can do more for a 
man? What other book is read more, sung more, prayed 
more? Yet I read in certain books that the Psalms is 
the old antiquated Jewish hymn-book. Christ sang out 
of it, and quoted it, as did all the apostles, and we are 
exhorted to, in Eph. 5:19, and Col. 3:16, and in Jas. 
5:13, to sing Psalms. 

Those who deny the Gospel of David's time or the 
Gospel according to David, don't know what the Gospel 
is. If the sufferings, death, burial, resurrection, ascen- 
sion, intercession and second coming of Christ are the 
Gospel, you can find it all in the Psalms. This is 1,000 
years before Christ. 

Now let us drop back to 1,500 years before Christ and 
see if we can find out any Gospel and what sort. In 
Heb., third chapter, the Lord is shown to be better than 
Moses, as a lawmaker and leader, but Israel's conduct 
in the wilderness illustrates the same principles in the 
Gospel. "Harden not your heart as in the day of provo- 
cation in the wilderness." . . . "Take heed, brethren, lest 
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in de- 
parting from the living God." . . . "Lest any of you be 
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." 

"But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it 
not with them that' had sinned, whose carcasses fell in 
the wilderness? 

"And to whom sware he that they should not enter 
into his rest, but to them that believed not? 

"So we see that they could not enter in because of 
unbelief. 



98 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

"Let US therefore fear, lest, a promise being left US 
of entering into his rest, any of YOU should seem to 
come short of it. 

"For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as 
unto THEM: but the word preached did not profit 
THEM, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 

"For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto 
them." Was the Gospel preached unto them? "But 
the word preached, or the Gospel preached, did not profit 
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard," 
the same principle then and now. So we have traced 
the Gospel of salvation by faith back to the wilderness 
under the leadership of Moses, and the teaching of 
priests, the high priest and prophets with the help of 
sacrifices, types and shadows. 

Another illustration is drawn from these times in I 
Cor. 10:1-11: 

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be 
ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, 
and all passed through the sea; 

"And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and 
in the sea; 

"And did all eat the same spiritual meat ; 

"And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they 
drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and 
that Rock was Christ." 

"But with many of them God was not well pleased: 
for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

"Now these things were our examples, to the intent 
we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 

"Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is 
written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose 
up to play. 

"Neither let -us commit fornication, as some of them 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 99 

committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thou- 
sand. 

"Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also 
tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 

"Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured. 
and were destroyed of the destroyer. 

"Now all these things happened unto them for exam- 
ples: and they are written for our admonition, upon 
whom the ends of the world are come. 

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take 
heed lest he fall." 

They ate and drank the spiritual meat and drink, but 
they did not do it spiritually. That manna was Christ, 
and that Rock was Christ, and that Rock followed them 
and they tempted Christ, and they fell, and these were 
examples for us, and we stand or fall by the same prin- 
ciples of the everlasting Gospel. We may die the same 
temporal death by our indiscretions. 

Let us take the testimony of Christ on the old Scrip- 
tures. John 5:39-47: 

"Search the Scriptures: for in them ye think ye have 
eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 

"And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 

"Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: 
there is one that accuseth you. even Moses, in whom ye 
trust, 

"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed 
me: for he wrote of me. 

''But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe 
my words?" 

The Jews thought the old Scriptures were sufficient for 
eternal life, and so they were, because they testified of 
Christ so plainly and strongly and frequently that they 
should have come to Christ for life. The Gospel accord- 



100 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

ing to Moses will condemn them, because it will "accuse" 
them of shutting their eyes and hardening their hearts 
against Christ. Moses' testimony of Christ was as strong 
as Christ could give; so that by rejecting Moses, they 
rejected Christ, of whom he wrote, and whom he repre- 
sented, and of whom he was a type. Add to this the 
testimony of Christ in Luke 16:29-31: 

"Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the 
prophets; let them hear them. 

"And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went 
unto them from the dead, they will repent. 

"And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and 
the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one 
rose from the dead." 

If Moses and the prophets can't keep sinners out oi 
hades and hell, then preachers from hades, with expe- 
rience of its torments, would fail. Moses and the proph- 
ets were sufficient for salvation. 

We next put Peter on the witness stand, concerning the 
Gospel of Moses and the prophets. Acts 3:20-25: 

"And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was 
preached unto you: 

"Whom the heaven must receive until the times of 
restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the 
mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 

"For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet 
shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your 
brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things 
whatsoever he shall say unto you. 

"And it shall come to pass, that every soul which 
will not hear that prophet shall be destroyed from among 
the people. 

"Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that 
follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise 
foretold of these days. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 101 

"Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the cove- 
nant which God made with our fathers, saying unto 
Abraham, and in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the 
earth be blessed." 

Peter, like the other apostles, made all his converts by 
preaching out of the Old Scriptures. There were no 
other Scriptures to preach, for not a line of the New 
was written when Peter thus spoke. But not only did 
he use the old Scriptures when preaching to Jews, but 
also to GENTILES. Hear him in Acts 10:43: "To him 
give all the prophets witness, that through his name 
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of 
sins." 

That is the Gospel of our salvation and there was never 
any other way to the remission of sins. Peter said all 
the prophets testified to remission of sins by faith in 
Him. 

Read Psalms 51:103; Isa. 53; Jer. 31:34; Dan. 9:24; 
Mic. 7:18; Zach. 13:1; Mai. 4:2. These are not a tithe 
of the old Scriptures showing how God deals with our 
sins, the same then as now, the old pointing forward to 
Calvary, % the new pointing back to the same. 

Let us drop back next to Isaac and Jacob's day, 1740 
before Christ. The Scriptures have much to say about 
Isaac and Jacob, and the dealings of the Lord their 
God with them. It was on the same principles then as 
now. They were examples for us, and what was written 
of them was written not for their sakes, but for ours. 
"The God of Jacob is our God." Paul in Rom. 9:11-16, 
shows the principle of election: 

" (For the children being not yet born, neither having 
done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according 
to election might stand, not of works, but of him that 
calleth;) 



102 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

"It has said unto her, the elder shall serve the younger. 

"As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I 
hated. 

"What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness 
with God? God forbid. 

"For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I 
will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I 
will have compassion. 

"So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that 
runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." 

How grace shines in sovereignty. Not by our willing 
and running, but of God's mercy. Honorable mention 
is made of th'ese patriarchs in both Scriptures; of Isaac 
some twenty times, and of Jacob some 360 times. Christ 
said they would come from all quarters and "sit down in 
the kingdom of God with Isaac and Jacob." "In Isaac 
shall thy seed be called." "And we brethren as Isaac 
was are the children of promise." "By faith Isaac blessed 
Jacob and Esau concerning things to come." "By faith 
Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of 
Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his 
staff." H. 4:2; L. 13:28. The everlasting Go'spel that 
saved them and that will bring them into the everlasting 
kingdom of God is good enough for me. If it saved them, 
it can save me. 

ABRAHAM 

Next we drop back to 1921 before Christ, to Abra- 
ham's day. In Gal., third chapter, we read: 

"Even as Abraham believed in Jehovah, and it was 
accounted to him for righteousness. 

"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the 
same are the children of Abraham. 

"And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 103 

the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel 
unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be 
blessed. 

"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faith- 
ful Abraham. 

"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the 
Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we may receive the 
promise of the Spirit through faith. 

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises 
made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as 
of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 

'Tor if the inheritance be of law, it is no more of 
promise: but God freely gave it to Abraham by promise. 

"For ye'&re all the children of God by faith in Christ 
Jesus. 

"And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, 
and heirs according to the promise" (made to Abraham) . 

The argument in Galatians and the third and fourth 
chapters of Romans is established by grace to Abraham, 
and his faith by grace, for like him we all believe through 
grace. The eighth verse above says "the Gospel was 
preached to Abraham/' and who is he that denies it? 
"Abraham believed in the Lord, and it was counted unto 
him for righteousness." So with us all. Abraham was 
justified by faith, and so are we. Abraham rejoiced to 
see Christ's day. And so do we, looking backward as 
well as forward. Abraham is the greatest in paradise, 
and is "the father of us all." "The promise that Abra- 
ham should be heir of the world was not to him and his 
seed through law, but through the righteousness of faith." 
Thus, it is "of faith, that it might be by grace to the 
end the promise might be sure to all the seed." 

Let us drop back something like half way from Abra- 



104 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

ham to the flood, and we find a faithful witness of God's 
saving grace in Job. He is mentioned in Ez. 14:14, 20, 
as one of the three best of earth. God said if certain 
evils prevailed in the land, he would not spare it, "though 
Noah, David and Job dwelt in it." God's testimony of 
Job was that he was the most upright in all the earth. 
James makes him an example to us in patience: 

"Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken 
in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering 
affliction, and of patience. 

"Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye 
have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the 
end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of 
tender mercy." 

Religion never had a severer test than in Job's case, 
and if he stood the test, then he had that "religion that 
is pure and undefiled before God." There is no better 
theology than that found in the book of Job, and no 
higher type of piety than Job had. A Gospel that could 
produce such a character as Job, need never have been 
changed. Why introduce another Gospel requiring the 
death of Christ on the shameful cross "if a law had been 
given that could give life? Then Christ died in vain." 

Read the book of Job and see what the Lord did for 
Job. God said to Job's Arminian opponents: 

"Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and 
seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for 
yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall 
pray for you; for him will I accept: lest I deal with 
you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me 
the thing which is right, like my servant Job." 

"So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, 
and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as 
the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 105 

"And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he 
prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as 
much as he had before." 

The Gospel that did so much for Job is good enough 
for us. 

In Heb., 11th chapter, we have the exemplars who died 
in the faith, "not having received the promises, but see- 
ing them afar off, they were persuaded of them, and 
embraced them." "These all having obtained a good 
reputation through faith, received not the promise, God 
having provided some better thing for us, that they with- 
out us should not be made perfect." "Wherefore, seeing 
we are compassed about with so great a cloud of wit- 
nesses (on faith) let us (as they did) lay aside every 
weight and sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us 
(as they did) run with patience the race set before us, 
and let us (as they did) look unto Jesus the author and 
finisher of faith. As our lives are shorter we need some 
advantage in being MADE PERFECT, so we have more 
light and knowledge. 

FROM JOB TO NOAH 

We drop back again to 2,350 years before Christ to 
find some trace and fruit of the Gospel. Noah is the 
illustrious example given us. Noah was born 2948 B. C, 
and died 1998 B. C. We tap his life about midway 
while showing his faith of what sort it was, and of what 
fruit it bore. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, 
as did Abraham and Mary. "God spared not the old 
world but saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness." II 
Pet. 2:5. But what sort of righteousness? The same 
Abraham had, and the same Paul endorsed and recom- 
mended to us, as the only kind that can stand, namely, 
"righteousness which is by faith." As Rom. 1:17 says 



106 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

of the Gospel: "For therein is the righteousness of God 
revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the just 
shall live by faith." Not our own righteousness of law, 
or works of ours, but the righteousness of God or of 
Christ, imputed to us, and received of us by faith. 

Righteousness and justification are the same word in 
the original, and mean the same thing. So that Noah 
was not only justified by faith, but he preached justifi- 
cation by faith, the same preached by Paul and all 
preachers of true righteousness, requiring not only the 
best righteousness we can offer in service, but a perfect 
righteousness which the perfect and holy law of God 
required — a righteousness like the righteousness of Christ, 
which is the righteousness of God, which can only be 
set to our account to be received or "submitted to by 
faith." God never had any cheap way of " justifying the 
ungodly." 

ENOCH 

Let us drop back again to about the middle of the old 
world, to Enoch, who walked with God for three hundred 
years, and so pleased God that God took him through 
a better door than death. "By faith Enoch was trans- 
lated that he should not see death, and was not found, 
because God had translated him; and before his trans- 
lation he had this testimony that he please God." 
Enough said on salvation by grace through faith. It 
is to all who believe, and Enoch believed. Enoch was a 
prophet, and perhaps the only one of his day, and we 
know of but one prophecy he made. This was revealed 
to Jude and he gave it to us : 

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied 
of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thou- 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 107 

sands of his saints, to execute judgments upon all, and 
to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their 
ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and 
of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have 
spoken against him." 

Enoch lived before the law or Gospel was written on 
stone or paper, but not before it was written on the 
heart. Enoch being one of the prophets, we will put 
him with the witnesses Paul gives in Rom. 3:19-23: 

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, 
it saith to them who are under law: that every mouth 
may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty 
before God. 

"Therefore by deeds of law there shall no flesh be 
justified in his sight: for by law is the knowledge of sin. 

"But now the righteousness of God without law is 
manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. 

"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of 
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; 
for there is no difference: 

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of 
God." 

God could not have used stronger language. 

All the prophets testified to a righteousness, not by 
law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. 

ENOCH TO ABEL 

Let us hurry back 4,000 years to Abel. In Heb. 
10:38-39 Paul lays down his general proposition, and as 
usual gives his proof from the old Scriptures, and Abel 
is the first example: 

"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw 
back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 



108 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

"But we are not of them who draw back unto perdi- 
tion; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." 
He then defines faith, the faith of all ages. 

Then under the exemplars of faith Abel is first: "By 
faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice 
than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was 
righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being 
dead yet speaketh." 

John says of this, I John 3: "Not as Cain, who was 
of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore 
slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his 
brother's righteous. 

Christ bore testimony also as follows in Matt. 27: 
"That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed 
upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto 
the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew 
between the temple and the altar." The first says that 
Abel offered his sacrifice in faith, not faith in sacrifice, 
but in what it typified, and therefore it was accepted. 
Here is to all who believe again. The next says that 
Cain slew his brother because his own works were evi^ 
and his brother's righteous. The outward performance 
was the same in both, but Abel "by faith, saw the promise 
afar off, and embraced it." If Enoch could prophecy so 
clearly about, Christ, why could not Abel apprehend 
him? The Lord said Abel's blood was righteous blood. 
So the Gospel could make one righteous by faith in 
Abel's day, and this is the only Gospel that proposes to 
make one righteous by faith now. All the false gospels 
like Cain propose to make one righteous by works of 
their own. This the Gospel requires, but such works 
are no account for salvation, but for service and reward. 

A good inferential argument can be made for Adam 
and Eve, as God took off their robe of leaves for hiding 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 109 

sin and shame, and clothed them with skins, which sug- 
gests the institution of sacrifice before Abel, and the 
skins pointed to a garment that Christ would offer to 
hide sin, namely, the righteousness that came from the 
sacrifice of himself. 

The Gospel is generally believed to have had its germ 
in the promise and the curse. "The seed of the woman 
shall bruise the serpent's head, and he shall bruise his 
heel." The seed of the woman is the Christ, as he is the 
only one ever called the seed of the woman. All the rest 
are the seeds of men, but Christ is not. In the great 
conflict begun there, the results are given — the bruising 
of one's head, and the other's heel. At his first coming 
Satan bruised his heel of humanity ; at the second coming 
Christ will bruise his head of authority. 

FROM ADAM BACK INTO ETERNITY 

This takes us back to the beginning of the operation 
of the Gospel, but it existed in purpose and in plan long 
before it begun to operate. The text, and other Scriptures 
carry us still further back. In Rev. 13: 8; and 17: 8, 
we have something revealed to us that was prior to Adam. 
Our names were written (in the book of life, of the 
Lamb slain) from the foundation of the world. It 
should be from the casting down of a or any world. That 
means that our names were written then, and not that 
the Lamb was slain then. This was long before the 
creation of man. But we are carried still further back 
than this. In Eph. 1 : 3-6, we have the beginning referred 
to in our text, "Chosen unto salvation from the begin- 
ning," reads in Eph. 1: 4: "According as he has chosen 
us in Christ, not from, but before the casting down of a 
world. The election, purpose, and predestination was 
before creation begun. 



110 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

Here is the Scripture as found in one of the improved 
translations— the Syriac: "Who hath blessed us with all 
blessings of the Spirit by the Messiah: according as he 
had previously chosen us in him, before the foundation 
of the world, that we might be holy, and without blame 
before him: and in love, predestinated us for himself; 
and adopted us for Jesus the Messiah, as was agreeable 
to his pleasure, that the glory of his grace might be 
glorified, which he poured upon us by his Beloved One." 

How much stronger and richer and sweeter than King 
James. How greatly improved by many translations as 
well as the above. It should read: before the casting 
down of a world, or any world, which means before crea- 
tion begun as in John 17: 5, 24, "The glory I had with 
thee before the world was;" "For thou lovest me before 
the foundation of the world; I Cor. 2:7: "Hidden wisdom 
which God ordained before the world was." All of these 
were before creation begun. Also I Pet. 1 : 20 : Christ 
fore ordained before the world. 
- "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, 
before his works of old. 

"I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or 
ever the earth was. 

"When there were no depths, I was brought forth ; 
when there were no fountains abounding with water. 

''Before the mountains were settled, before the hills 
was I was brought forth. 

"While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, 
nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 

"When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when 
he set a compass upon the face of the deep. 

"When he established the clouds above; when he 
strengthened the fountains of the deep. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 111 

"When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters 
should not pass his commandment; when he appointed 
the foundations of the earth. 

"Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and 
I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. 

"Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my 
delights were with the sons of men." 

As David states it, Psalm 90: 

"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever 
thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from 
evarlasting to everlasting thou art God. See Pro v. 8 : 25. 

But II Tim. 2: 9 and Tit. 1: 2 carry us still further 
back: 

"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, 
not according to our works, but according to his own 
purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus 
before the world began. " The Greek is before the times 
of ages, ages chronological, astronomical or geological. 
"Before times eternal," "before the ages." The other 
Scripture reads "In hope of eternal life which God that 
cannot lie, promised before the times of the ages." Prom- 
ised to whom? To Christ in covenant, as all understand. 
Thus the truth of the Gospel existed in the divine mind 
and purpose, long before it existed in fact. The truth in 
FACT is for us, and not for God. The crucifixion of 
Christ was a truth long before it became a fact. And 
so of the resurrection and his second coming. The truth 
is no more dependent on the fact, than the substance is 
dependent on the shadow. They exist before and in 
dependent of the fact or the shadow. The ancients 
believed in the truth of Christ's sacrifice, as we believe 
in the truth of the resurrection and second coming, before 
they are facts. Some seem to think that after many 
experiments from time to time, God changed the plans 



112 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

of salvation and "the laws of pardon." I would be 
ashamed of such a God. God is immutable, unchangeable, 
without the shadow of turning. When I say that I am 
not ashamed of the Antiquity of the Gospel, I mean that 
nothing can be added to its antiquity. It is perfect in 
antiquity. The heavens and earth were of old, but the 
Gospel was older. Not the Gospel in operation, or in 
fact, or in theory, but the Gospel in purpose, in plan and 
in truth. The cross had as much power in it to those 
who through faith looked forward to it, as to those who 
by faith looked backward to it. Rom. 1: 16 says the 
Gospel is the power of God; and I Cor. 1-18 says the 
preaching of the cross is the power of God. Verse 23 
says: We preach Christ crucified the power of God and 
the wisdom of God, to all the called of God, whether 
Jews or Greeks. Hence the Gospel is the cross, or Christ 
crucified, shown by Abel's sacrifice and all others. 

APPLICATION 

I want the oldest Gospel, and the oldest church, and 
I don't want any other, as they are all spurious. Those 
who celebrate their centennials glory in their shame, as 
their antiquity is infinitesmal. When they say so loudly, 
there they are one, two, or three centuries old, they con- 
fess at the same time, and in the same way, that they 
are no older. Are they a hundred years old? Then they 
are nineteen centuries behind in the Christian era, and 
adding 4,000 years to that, they must confess that the 
Gospel was preached and sinners saved 5,900 years before 
their saving Gospel and institution were born. If 200 
years old, they are 1,700 and 4,000 equals 5,700 years 
short, in the Gospel dispensation. If 300 years old then 
they are 1,600 and 4,000 equals 5,600 years short. The 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 113 

Gospel was preached and sinners saved that long before 
they began to be, or to do. This takes in all the Proti 
estants and those coming after, who preach church salva- 
tion. If sinners were saved 5,600 years before their 
divers Gospels and conflicting churches came into being 
then how have they helped? Is it not only other schisms 
or divisions or organizations, and confusion of doctrines 
which all together have hindered a thousand times more 
than they have helped. Is there strength in divisions 
and confusions and contradictions? Such things are not 
of God. There was no Greek Catholic church before the 
tenth century, and no Roman Catholic Hierarchy before 
the 7th century, hence one is 1,000 and 4,000 equals 
5,000 years late, coming in to save men; and the other 
600 and 4,000 equals 4,600 years too late with their 
saving sacraments and institutions. Men were saved by 
the Gospel 4,000 years before there was any baptism or 
Baptist church; 3,500 years before there was any Con- 
fucianism; 3,400 years before Buddhism; 2,500 years 
before Judaism. Denominations and churches and ordi- 
nances are not saving institutions, but only the Gospel 
has power to save. Churches and ordinances can save 
only instrumentally like Paul when he said "if by all 
means he might save some." The church was instituted 
to preach the Gospel to the ear, and the ordinances to 
the eye, but the power to save was the power of God 
revealed in the Gospel, which in short, is Christ cruci- 
fied — there is the power and the wisdom of God. "The 
word of the Gospel" has no power to save, but it turns 
the eye to where salvation may be found — in the cross. 
Faith in the cross is the connection through which salva- 
tion flows into the soul. The preaching of the cross in 
I Cor. 1 : 18, does not refer to our preaching, but to the 
cross' preaching. If I be lifted up I will draw all to me." 



114 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

This logos of the cross (Genitive case) was foolishness to 
some, but to others it is the power of God and the wisdom 
of God. So we boast in the cross and not in our preaching 
of it. It was the same power to those who looked forward 
to it, as to those who look backward to it. 

The Gospel is Perfect in its Antiquity. 

The gospel is "from everlasting, to everlasting." Let 
us turn our telescope backward toward the beginning. 

"Go back now for a while with me — 
Away back into eternity. 
Back, beyond Creation's youth 
Where everything that was, was truth. 
Back, beyond sorrows and tears ; 
Back, beyond sufferings and fears ; 
Back, beyond anguish and gloom ; 
Back, beyond shades of the tomb ; 
Back, beyond trouble and pain; 
Back, beyond losses and gain ; 
Back, beyond sobs and sighs ; 
Back, beyond the limit of skies; 
Back, before a ray of light ; 
- Back, before a daj' or night; 

Back, before a prayer was prayed; 
Back, before a world was made ; 
Back, before the moon or sun; 
Back, before old time begun; 
Back, before a now or then; 
Back, before a where or when; 
Back, before a here or there; 
Back of anything, anywhere; 
Back, a thousand million years; 
Back, further still with goldly fears. 
Back of the birth of all the past; 
Back to find the place at last ; 
Back, from whence you faintly see ; 
Back to the first of eternity. 
Back, before God gave any space; 
Or aught of anything to trace; 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 115 

Back, where all around, below, above; 
Showed unlimited power and love — 
Away back there, beyond our sight, 
Where everything that was, was right ; 
Away back there preceding sin, 
Is where the Gospel did begin." 

"Eternity with all its years 

Stands ever present in thy view, 
To Thee, there is nothing old appears, 

Great God, there can be nothing new. 
Our lives through varied scenes are drawn, 

And vexed with mean and trifling cares. 
While thine eternal thought moves on 

Thy fixed and undisturbed affairs. 

The disciples or believers to be made by the preach- 
ing of the gospel, "were chosen in Him before the casting 
down of a world" (Eph. 1:4). Then ''Predestinated to 
be conformed to His image. Their names were written 
in the Lamb's book of life before the casting down of 
a world" (Rev. 17: 8). "Being ordained to eternal life, 
they afterward believed" (Acts 13: 48). "Being drawn 
by the Father and taught of God" (John 6; 44, 45). 
"They came to Christ and received eternal life" (John 6: 
37). "They were all given to Christ in Covenant. 
According to his own purpose and grace given us in 
Christ Jesus before the times of ages'' (2 Tim. 1: 9). 
"Which God who cannot lie promised before the times 
of age" (Trt. 1:2). "And not one thus written in the 
book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20: 
15). "They shall never perish but have everlasting life." 

There is nothing before this long line, and nothing after 
it. The beginning was "before the beginning," and the 
end has no end. 



Chapter X 

EMPHASIS 

I am not ashamed of the EMPHASIS the Gospel puts 
upon its Doctrines. What is more shameful and harm- 
ful than the emphasis errorists put upon certain doctrines. 
The Anti-missionaries Emphasize Election and Predes- 
tination to the almost exclusion of all the rest. Thus 
they lose their lives, and their rewards, if not their souls, 
as they don't believe repentance and faith must be 
preached. No sinner entirely under their teaching will 
likely be converted. If such are of the Elect, God must 
send them to others for light and learning, and disciple- 
ship. If repentance and faith are not necessary for 
others, as they teach they are not necessary for them 
and how can they be saved, as the impenitent and un- 
believer must be damned. 

"Some are so full of Sanctification that they nullify 
all other doctrines, if not sanctification itself. When it 
is all sanctification it is not good for much. Others know 
only the second coming of Christ. Now all of these 
are precious doctrines as found related to other doctrines, 
but unrelated, they are like a member separated from 
the body. 

But the worst of all is, the Emphasis put upon Baptism. 
Nine-tenths of the professing Christian world believes in 
Baptismal Regeneration, Remission, Salvation, and nine- 
tenths of these have a so-called baptism that is wanting 

116 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 117 

in a proper subject, a proper act, a proper design, a proper 
administration, and the other tenth only a proper act. If 
you press on the nine-tenths these proper essentials to 
baptism, they will reply that baptism is nonessential. 
They will sprinkle a baby to save it, but will tell a 
believing penitent that immersion (baptism) is not essen- 
tial. That is, pedorhantism is everything, and believers 
immersion is nothing. While the many make sprinkling 
everything and immersion nothing, there are those who 
make immersion the all in all, and sprinkling nothing. 
The truth on baptism is destroyed by both of these 
extremes. 

True Baptists are the only people who give the Em- 
phasis on baptism and other doctrines that the Gospel 
gives. Let us look after this. 

Mark and Luke give the commission as spoken on the 
night after his resurrection. Matthew gave it as spoken 
on a mountain in Galilee. In Acts 1 : 8 we have it as 
given on Mount Olivet — the last words before he 
ascended to heaven. According to Matthew we are to 
make Disciples, and baptize THEM. Mark says make 
and baptize believers; according to Luke 24: 47 we are 
to make and baptize penitents, who trust upon His name 
for remission of sins: the same as Acts 2: 38 — repent and 
be baptized, trusting upon the name of the Lord for 
the remission of sins. Same in Acts 10: 43: "To him 
give all the prophets witness, that through his name who- 
soever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." 
John the Baptist baptized believing penitents. In Acts 
1: 8 no one thing is specified, but all are included — "Ye 
shall be witnesses unto me, unto the uttermost parts of 
the earth." A witness tells the truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth. All of these commissions should 
be studied together. As a result of preaching, we have in 



118 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

Matt. 28: 29, DISCIPLES to be baptized; according to 
Mark 16: 16 we have believers to be baptized; according 
to Luke 24: 47 we have PENITENTS to be baptized. 
In Acts 22: 16 it is "be baptized having called on the 
name of the Lord," as "whosoever shall call on the name 
of the Lord shall be saved;" thus prayer is a prerequisite. 
In Heb. x, 22 and 1 Peter iii, 21 it is a good conscience 
and then baptism ; as the answer or response of the good 
conscience cleansed by the blood of Christ; and in Rom. 
vi, 3-1 1 it is death to sin, and then baptism. So the 
qualifications for baptism are of first and greatest im- 
portance, and those who magnify baptism above the 
prerequisites do an exceeding dangerous thing. The 
prerequisites to baptism should be Emphasized ten times 
more than baptism itself, because it is ten times harder 
to lead men through the prerequisites than it is to baptize 
them. Baptism is easy when you get them ready for it, 
except when hindered by false teaching. Wrong Em- 
phasis is as destructive of the truth as wrong interpreta- 
tion. So let us get the Emphasis right. As before said, 
the Gospel puts ten times more Emphasis on the pre- 
requisites to baptism, than on baptism itself. Take the 
last sixteen books of the Scriptures. In Galatians faith, 
and its cognates, occur 27 times, baptism only once. 
In Ephesians faith 12 times, and baptism once. In 
Phillipians faith 6 times, baptism none. In Collosians 
faith 12 times, baptism once. In 1 Thes. faith 14 times, 
baptism none. In 2 Thess. faith 10 times, baptism none. 
In 1 Tim. faith 36 times, baptism none. In 2 Tim. faith 
12 times, baptism none. In Titus faith 11 times, baptism 
none. In Heb. faith 39 times, baptism none. In James 
faith 19 times, baptism none. In 1 Peter, faith 11 times, 
baptism once. In 2 Peter, faith 2 times, baptism none. 
1st and 2nd John, faith 13 times, baptism none. In 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 119 

Rev. faith 12 times, baptism none. In all, faith 236 
times, baptism four, which is 1 to 59. So frequency of 
mention makes faith 59 times more important than 
baptism. 

John xiv: 15 makes Love a prerequisite. If we com- 
pare love and baptism in the same way the contrast is 
still greater. The eleventh chapter of Hebrews is long 
and strona; on the power of faith; and how exceeding 
strong is the 13th chapter of 1 Cor. on the power of love. 
In Romans 6th chapter, where baptism is so often re- 
ferred to, you w T ill find that the Emphasis is on what is 
implied in Baptism, rather than on baptism itself. It is 
a "figure" of salvation, a "likeness," but which is the 
more important, salvation or the figures of it. Now these 
things do not make baptism of no importance. In its 
place, and for its purpose, it is essential to some things 
of less importance than salvation, remission, justification, 
etc. Repentance, Prayer, Faith, Love, etc., are essential 
to the greater things (subjectively speaking), and bap- 
tism is essential to lesser things, such as right profession, 
church membership, church officers, and church ordi- 
nances, and right subjection and obedience to Jesus 
Christ. So Baptists must stand between these ruinous 
extremes. 

Taking examples as stronger than precepts, we find 
our practice abundantly justified in the following in- 
stances. John's hearers emphasized baptism, and they 
pressed him by the multitude for baptism (Luke iii, 7) ; 
but John being a Baptist put the Emphasis on repentance, 
and he demanded also the fruits of it. Christ walked 65 
miles to be baptized of John the Baptist, before he began 
his public work. But Christ found in the Gentile Cen- 
turion, and the Gentile widow, greater faith than in those 
baptized, because the time had not come for baptism to 



120 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

go to the Gentiles. They could believe and be saved, 
but not baptized. So the woman who was a notorious 
sinner in Luke vii, 36-50. She "loved much," because 
"forgiven much," and her "faith had saved her," and 
"she went in peace," but the time for her baptism had 
not come. So of the woman at the well, and the many 
converts in her city believed, but not then baptized. 
So the man born blind, "believed," and "worshipped," 
but was not baptized. (John ix, 38.) Joseph was a 
secret disciple — devoted to the Lord but not baptized. 
So perhaps of Nicodemus. So of the Publican and 
Zaccheus. Acts iv, 8 records the believing of thousands, 
but their baptism is not recorded. Imagine the record 
reversed! When Philip went to a and not THE city of 
Samaria, he found the believers the woman and Christ 
had made, so they were ready to give heed to the things 
Philip preached "pertaining to the Kingdom of God;" 
and to greatly rejoice; then they were baptized. In 
Acts ix, 18 we have Paul's baptism, and ten years later 
he was ordained, and he did much and mighty mission 
work for eight years — 18 years- preaching the gospel but 
not baptizing, for "Christ sent him not to baptize but to 
preach the gospel." Many believed, or were discipled 
by his preaching (Acts xiv, 21 R. V.) but Lydia and her 
house, in Acts 16, are the first -recorded baptisms of this 
great missionary. He begat the Corinthians through the 
gospel but did not baptize them. 

Here is the Baptist position. Between the ruinous 
extremes of ALL baptism and NO baptism, Baptists must 
magnify the importance of the prerequisites of baptism, 
namely, discipleship, believing repentance, prayer, 
etc., as sufficient for salvation, but "the things pertaining 
to the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ," 
require baptism, and church membership, when the proper 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 121 

time comes. Some times, and generally at once, but 
some times order and decency may require its postpone- 
ment, as in heathen countries before churches are organ- 
ized. Let the missionaries be diligent in discipling, or 
bringing men to believe, to the saving of the soul, and 
afterward to baptism as soon as the circumstances justify 
it, which may be the same midnight hour as with the 
jailor, or a "tarrying" as in other cases. Be sure to 
baptize, but not till it can be done according to the law 
of the Lord. Better not to baptize at all than to violate 
any order. They are saved forever when they believe 
and can labor to bring others to a like faith with them- 
selves, but there can be no church without baptism and 
organization. The scripture examples clearly justify 
both of these prerequisites. Why were these thousands 
of converts not baptized on the spot, and others were 
baptized the same hour of the night. Because ordi- 
nances require order and decency. 

I am not ashamed of the Emphasis the Gospel puts 
upon its Doctrines. We noted this Emphasis last, from 
frequency of mention and Examples. We come now to 
Precepts and Special mention. Take Matt, v, 3-12, and 
Luke vi, 20-45. Blessings are poured out on many in- 
ternal qualities and qualifications that would look or 
sound out of place on baptism. Substitute baptism in 
the place of any of them: Blessed are the baptized for 
theirs is the Kingdom of the heavens. Blessed are the 
baptized for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the 
baptized for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are 
they that hunger and thirst after baptism for they shall 
be filled. Blessed are the baptized for they shall obtain 
mercy. Blessed are the baptized for they shall see God. 
Blessed are the baptized for they are the children of God. 
Blessed are they that are persecuted for baptism, for 



122 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

theirs is the kingdom of the heavens. Rejoice ye bap- 
tized and be exceeding glad for great is your reward 
in the heavens. 

Luke adds some blessings to other classes and then 
reverses it with woes. Luke does not say woe to the 
unbaptized, nor did Mark say the unbaptized should be 
damned. The golden rules laid down by Luke in chapter 
6: 27 — fT:fit the baptized and unbaptized believer alike. 
If we are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, 
and faith comes and must come to all before baptism, 
then these high rules of spiritual living is as binding on 
the unbaptized children of God, and as on the baptized. 
Baptism is a great help to external righteousness, but not 
to internal holiness which prepares and precedes. Read 
these golden rules of living with baptized sinners in your 
mind, and then with unbaptized saints in your mind, and 
you will find that the Emphasis is not misplaced in a 
single case. The blessings of Christ fell on the unbap- 
tized Gentile Centurion and widow, and Samaritans and 
a notorious sinner in Luke vii, 36-59 and not conditioned 
on baptism. Except ye repent ye shall perish, but no 
such Emphasis is put on baptism. He that believeth not 
shall be damned, but not he that is baptized not. That 
would sound very odd and ugly and unorthodox, yet 
how many insist on the wrong Emphasis? "If any man 
love not our Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed." 
Here is an Emphasis on him that loves not, but it misfits 
him that is baptized not, for baptism is not as important 
as love. "Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord 
shall be saved," but not whosoever shall be baptized, and 
that makes prayer more important than baptism. There 
is more profit in prayer than in baptism. Peter said 
repent and pray that your sin may be forgiven, but he 
never said repent and be baptized that your sins may 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 123 

be forgiven. The heart of Acts ii, 38 must be cut out 
before the words can thus be gotten together. The 
heart of the text is not "in the name of the Lord Jesus 
Christ," as the Common Version reads, but trusting upon 
the name of Jesus Christ is what the Greek idiom 
requires. ' That puts the Emphasis on faith or trust as in 
Acts x, 43. Epi before the Dative signifies trust or 
reliance, and who will call it in question? All through 
the book from Genesis to Revelation you will find an 
Emphasis on repentance, prayer, faith, trust, love, etc., 
that would be fatal to put upon baptism. Our experience 
and observation confirm this Emphasis. Unbaptized 
saints and immersed sinners are not to be compared for 
piety and spirituality. An unbaptized man can, and 
must repent and pray and believe and trust and love, 
and he is entitled to all the promises affixed to such 
qualities, but this is not taking all Emphasis off baptism. 
Without Scripture baptism no one can be a member of 
the church of Christ, nor fill an office in that church, 
and the ministry is an office in that church, nor can he 
eat the Lord's Supper. The Scriptures give full salva- 
tion to the unbaptized, but no church privilege. Here 
true Baptists stand come life or death. 



Chapter XI 

LOGIC— I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE LOGIC 
OF THE GOSPEL. "WHAT THEN?" 

When we assume a doctrinal position we must regard 
the results, consider the consequences and call for the 
conclusion. When Paul says, What then? or what shall 
we say then? he says on until he reaches: "Therefore 
we conclude." The first "what then," is in Rom. 3: 9. 
He refers to his proof, and continues to add to it until 
he reaches his first conclusion: "Therefore by deeds of 
law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight." 

Then going deeper into the subject, he reaches his 
second conclusion: "Therefore we conclude that a man 
is justified by faith without deeds of law." From here 
he reasons from another "What shall we say then," to 
the third conclusion: "Therefore it is of faith that it 
may be grace to the end the promise might he sure to all 
the seed." The fourth conclusion from his Scriptural 
premise is: "Therefore being justified by faith let us have 
peace with God," "and rejoice in hope of the glory of 
God." To another "what shall we say then" about con- 
tinuing in sin, or sin reigning in our mortal bodies, he 
concludes by saying: "Sin shall not have dominion over 
you; for ye are not under law but under grace?" From 
this advanced point he reasons to the next advanced con- 
clusion: "But now we are delivered from the law, having 
died to that wherein we were held, that we should serve 

124 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 125 

in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." 
"What shall we say then?" about the remains of sin in 
the body? The conclusion is, that as he hates the wrong 
that he does and would do the right, that it is not he that 
does it, but the sin that dwells in him. And that he 
served the law of sin in his flesh but the law of God is 
in his mind. "Therefore there is no condemnation to 
those that are in Christ Jesus." 

To the next, "What shall we then say to these things," 
the conclusion is, that in all things we are more than 
conquerors through him that loved us, and that nothing 
can separate us from this love of God which is in Christ 
Jesus our Lord. 

To the last, "What then," he plunges boldly into the 
depth of the mystery, where logic in finite minds seems 
unable to search his judgments, or to find out his ways. 
But the Scriptures furnish the conclusion that finite man 
could not reach with finite logic; and that is: "Of him, 
and through him are all things to whom be glory for 
ever." 

When the master got too deep for the Samaritan 
woman, she fell back on a Scriptural conclusion to a 
Scriptural premise, and replied: "I know that Messiah 
comes which is N called Christ, and when he comes he 
will tell us all things." And when the master taxed 
Martha's faith with: "Believest thou this?" she fell back 
on a conclusion that concluded it: "I believe that thou 
art the Christ the Son of God which should come into 
the world." 

We ought to be ready to give a reason for the hope 
that is in us, and if by the weakness of the flesh we can't 
reason to the conclusion, the conclusion is furnished, not 
against reason, not inconsistent with reason, nor out of 
reason, but simply out of OUR reason. 



126 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

But like Paul, let us not dodge results or conclusions. 
Logic is a divine science. A logical conclusion from a 
Scriptural premise is a divine conclusion. I would be 
ashamed of the gospel if it required me to beg the pardon 
of logic for my conclusions. A conclusion logically drawn 
from a Scriptural premise is as Scriptural as the premise 
itself. To illustrate. If I believe the Scriptures, then 
I must believe that faith is prerequisite to baptism. One 
must be a believer before he is baptized. The Scriptures 
also state "that every one who believes has everlasting 
life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed 
from death unto life. Now the inevitable conclusion is, 
that the unbaptized believer has everlasting life or is 
saved. A man who denies the premise, denies the Scrip- 
tures. If a man believes the Scriptures he should affirm 
the premise. But what of the man who affirms the 
premise and denies the conclusion! 

Again if I believe immersion is necessary to baptism, 
and that baptism is necessary to salvation the inevitable 
conclusion is, that no one can be saved who is not 
immersed. The man who asserts the premise, and deserts 
the conclusion is not to be followed. If I believed that 
doctrine I would not by word or act recognize any one 
as my brother or sister in the Lord who had not been 
immersed. The man who forsakes the conclusion must 
forsake the premise or forsake his faith. Nor will it do 
to say that charity requires it, for a charity that is divine 
is in perfect harmony with a logic that is divine. Con- 
sistency is a jewel, and a rare one. No one ought to 
assert a doctrine till he has considered the "What then." 
Whenever I go back on my conclusion then I am going 
back on my premise, and if not, I hope no one will 
follow me. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 127 

The Scriptures assert certain things of sin and the 
sinner, and if these be true, WHAT THEN? 

If sin is transgression of law, and if whatsoever is not 
of faith is sin, and if he that knoweth to do good and 
doeth it not to him it is sin : and if sin is exceeding sinful, 
and that if the soul that sins shall die; and if the sinner 
is dead in trespasses and sins; and if the carnal mind is 
enmity against God, not subject' to his law, neither indeed 
can be; if that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and if 
they that are in the flesh cannot please God, etc., etc.; 
if all these statements are true, What Then? Do better? 

But how can you do better? Out of the heart are the 
issues of life, and the heart is deceitful above all things 
and desperately wicked, and out of it proceed evil 
thoughts, adulteries, fornications, etc. But suppose, like 
the Pharisees, you make yourself beautiful without, would 
that not leave all this rottenness within? Does not a 
corrupt tree bring forth corrupt fruit? And if your heart 
was wrong and your life right, would you not be a 
hypocrite? 

But suppose in the sight of God you could do better, 
What Then? Better is comparative. Then how much 
better can you do? What and where is the standard of 
moral rectitude? There must be one standard, else how 
can God judge the world? No judiciary has ever made 
standards for each, but one for all. If God had said let 
each man do the best he can, and thus made one's 
ability or capacity the standard, then he must not only 
have a standard for each man, but a million for each, 
for man's ability and capacity are continually changing. 
What Then? The only conclusion is, that each man 
must do as well as he OUGHT. Not the comparative 
better, but the superlative best. Less than this contains 
evil, that God cannot connive at. 



128 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

But suppose you could in the future do as you ought, 
what then about the past? Do you say that needs to be 
forgiven? But the law knows no forgiveness. It either 
condemns or justifies, and further it does not propose 
to go. 

By saying you will do better, and as much better as 
you ought, you simply put yourself under that law that 
is perfect and holy and just and good, and it blesses only 
in doing, and in continuing in doing, and then curses for 
a violation in one point. Law can't do otherwise. No 
law, human, natural or divine, can do otherwise, and 
if otherwise is done it is not according to law, but in spite 
of law, and that is lawlessness of itself. 

But the law, being perfect and holy, must be spiritual, 
and must demand obedience from the heart. It calls the 
heart to perfect and holy obedience, when it says: "Thou 
shalt not lust," and lust is in the heart. Human laws 
judge only the actions of men, but God's law judges 
the heart. You can keep human law when you do not 
kill, though you desire to kill; when you do not steal, 
though you desire to steal, but you can't keep God's law 
that way, for God judges the heart. If one holds you so 
you can't kill, or circumstances keep you fr*om stealing, 
human law is satisfied, but not the divine law. 

I call upon all to testify to this, that often you are 
constrained to do that you do not want to do, and re- 
strained from doing that you want to do. Is that obedi- 
ence in the sight of God? Is that obedience out of a 
pure heart? You know that often in keeping the law 
in letter you break it in spirit. What Then? Why 
"every mouth is stopped and all the world is guilty 
before God." What Then? Will you add the ritualistic 
to the moral law, and then take the lives of innocent 
beasts? But it is not possible for the blood of bulls and 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 129 

goats to take away sin. The Pharisees did all this, even 
paid tithes of mint, annis and cummin, and made them- 
selves outwardly righteous as touching the law, yet the 
conclusion in their case is they "could not escape the 
damnation of hell." The rich young ruler and Nicodemus 
and Paul are conspicuous failures on this line, and are 
our examples. 

What Then? Reform your morals and conform to 
Gospel law. But Gospel Law is also the law of God, and 
the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God neither 
indeed can it be subjected. The natural man knows not 
spiritual things because they are spiritually discerned. 
Hence, except a man be born again he cannot discern 
the spiritual kingdom of God, which is "righteousness, 
peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." 

What Then? Will you as a natural man believe the 
things that are written or spoken and be baptized? But 
Simon Magus did this, and was still in the gall of bitter- 
ness and in the bonds of iniquity, and had neither part 
nor lot with the saints. His heart was not right in the 
sight of God. Many crept in "privily" that way, of 
whom the apostle said: I would they were cut off. Our 
churches are full of .those who gave their assent to what 
is written or spoken, and were baptized, and have com- 
muned, and contributed, and sung and prayed, and I feai 
some preached, who like the sorcerer in heart — did it all 
for earthly gain. 

But suppose as a natural man you believe that Jesus 
is the Christ the Son of God, and confess him with your 
mouth and obey him in letter. What then? This is 
what Satan did and except your righteousness exceed that 
of him, you shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven. 
Satan confessed and "obeyed." When Christ said: "Get 
thee behind me, Satan," or "come out," he obeyed; but 



130 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

not in heart, but through fear. Suppose as a natural 
man you do all you can under the Gospel rule — What 
Then? "Though I give all my goods to feed the poor, 
and though I give my body to be burned it profiteth me 
nothing." 

But seeing you have no refuge in life, will you take 
refuge in death, and vainly hope that it will bring you 
the needed relief; that death will rectify the wrongs of 
life? But if death rectifies your wrongs it will do the 
same for all, and no one need concern himself about sin 
in this life, but take his fill of it. The good as well as 
the bad, suffer the penalty of physical death, and since 
many fill their whole lives with sin, and die blasphem- 
ing the name of God, since "the wicked flourish like a 
green bay tree," and "many are the afflictions of the 
righteous," it follows that God has more respect for evil 
than for good. But God is good, and will punish sin, 
and we know that he does not adequately and equitably 
punish sin in this life, and the conclusion is irresistible, 
that sin must be punished after death. 

What Then? Says another caviler, death and purga- 
tory will save all. But all we know about purgatory 
is what is revealed, and from one there, we have a mes- 
sage to his five brothers, and he begs them not to come 
to that awful place of torment: that they must repent, 
and that this life is the time to repent. But Cain died 
six thousand years ago, and some will die in the dawn 
of judgment, and then hades will be abolished. So if 
Cain is to suffer purgatorial flame for six thousand years, 
and many at the last suffer less than a day, then there 
is an error in the court of heavenly iniquity. 

What Then? Will you say there is a later resurrec- 
tion of those who die later and that in the resurrection 
all will be saved? But all we know of that is what is 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 131 

revealed, and Daniel says: "Many that sleep in the dust 
of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and 
some to everlasting shame and contempt." And Jesus 
said: "The hour is coming in which all that are in their 
graves shall come forth; they that have done good to the 
resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto 
the resurrection of damnation." 

What Then? Limited punishment in hell after the 
judgment? But Daniel says everlasting shame and con- 
tempt; and Jesus says: These shall go away into ever- 
lasting punishment; and Paul says they shall be pun- 
ished with everlasting destruction from the presence of 
the Lord and from the glory of his power; and John 
says : They shall be tormented day and night forever and 
ever, and that the smoke of their torment ascendeth up 
forever and forever. 

What Then? Falling back to first principles will you 
say man must be pardoned? But God can't pardon a 
sinner. Governors and kings can pardon the guilty at 
the expense of justice, but God cannot and be just, and 
God must be just in whatever he does with the sinner. 
But do you say you mean forgiveness? But suppose 
God forgives the sinner? What then? Why he will 
sin again and drink it down as an ox drinketh water. 
His nature would still be evil, and how can they that 
are evil do any good thing? "A corrupt tree brings forth 
corrupt fruit." "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good 
fruit." 

What Then? Will you say that man needs forgiveness 
and regeneration? But that which is born of flesh is 
flesh, and the flesh is not regenerated, and in the flesh 
there dwelleth no good thing and sin is mixed with all we 
do, and every transgression shall receive a just recom- 
pense of reward. 



132 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

What Then? Forgiveness, regeneration and heaven? 
But the angels were without sin, and holy in their nature, 
and were in heaven, and they fell from that high and 
holy state. Why may not we? Ah; we find a golden 
link in the chain of this great salvation is wanting. 
What is it? Where is it? The walls of this arch need 
a capstone. Let us hunt it. Let us 'find it. Let us bring 
it with shoutings of grace, grace unto it. The answer can 
be found in "The Perfect Redemption of the Gospel," 
which I hope will be published. 

HEREDITARY HOLINESS. WHAT THEN? 

This is a Presbyterian doctrine drawn from 1 Cor. 
7: 14: "for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the 
(believing) wife; and the unbelieving wife is sanctified 
by the (believing) husband; else were the children un- 
clean, but now are they holy." Dr. Barnes did not 
believe this passage taught the above doctrine, but Dod- 
dridge, Bloomfield and Dick's Theology, the Confession 
of Faith, etc., so teach, and it is recognized as Presby- 
terian doctrine, to wit — if one of the parents is a believer 
the children are born holy, and are entitled to baptism; 
and it is the custom of this people to confine their 
baptism of children to such as have at least one believing 
parent. "What then?" and "What shall we say there- 
fore?" From such a premise there are several conclu- 
sions, exclusions and inclusions. 

The parent must be a real believer and not a mere 
nominal one, as many are, in all denominations. What 
more? 

We and they believe that a true believer is a regen- 
erated, sanctified, justified and saved person, and that 
the faith that saves renounces human worth and works; 
that salvation is not partly of grace and partly of works. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 133 

We are glad to have them agree with us, not only on the 
nature of saving faith, but also on the character of the 
believer as a spiritual child of God; also on baptism as 
the sign of that fact (I use baptism from a Pedobaptist 
standpoint) and also that such regenerated person is 
saved forever. "What then?" "Therefore we conclude" 
that a ehild born of such parent or parents is regenerated, 
and saved forever, whether it dies early or late. What 
advantage a child has with two -believing parents de- 
ponent sayeth not. 

As hereditary holiness is founded on the fact of faith 
in a parent, therefore they conclude to exclude all other 
children, and only this inclusion they aim to practice. 
What then? 

Therefore we must conclude that all other children are 
not proper subjects of baptism, and hence all such are 
not really baptized. That is to say, all other Pedo- 
baptists who transgress in this, have baptized unscrip- 
tural subjects and all such are unscriptural baptisms. 
This unbaptizes a large portion of the Pedobaptist world. 

"What then?" This conclusion follows, that all Pres- 
byterian parents, who are only professed believers (as is 
often the case in all denominations), the same are not 
regenerate persons, and hence the children are not regen- 
erate, and the Presbyterians violate (unconsciously) their 
own rule when they baptize children destitute of heredi- 
tary holiness. But Baptists do the same when they 
baptize only professed believers. Yes, but the Presby- 
terian act is with them a finality, while Baptists leave 
their mistakes open for future developments and correc- 
tion. What then? 

If regeneration manifests itself in a holy living, the 
lives of the children would prove the faith of the parents. 

A regeneration that does not manifest itself in life is 



134 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

not worth preaching or having; and if there is no differ- 
ence in the lives of children growing out of the fact of 
faith in the parent, then the doctrine, by this valuable 
and vital test, is proved to be unproved. What next? 

As the unregenerated impart their nature to the child 
(Jno. 3; 6 and Eph. 2: 3), and the regenerated do like- 
wise) (?) then we conclude that where there is only 
one believing parent, the child must receive both natures, 
and therefore is part holy and part unclean. If the child 
of two believing parents is not holier than the child of 
one, then who will explain the neutralizing power in the 
unbelieving progenitor? What shall we say therefore? 

That as the Catholics, both Latin and Greek, as well 
as most Pedobaptists, believe in salvation by works 
(more or less, it follows that theirs is not a justifying 
faith (Rom. 4: 4, 5, and 9: 30, 33), hence not a saving 
faith, hence their children should not be baptized, and 
hence they are not baptized. So we conclude that this 
inclusion works a great exclusion. What shall we say 
then? 

When children are baptized on the professed faith of 
the parent, and such parent should in after life abandon 
the profession and become apostate or infidel, as untold 
millions do, then the children should be reckoned un- 
baptized, and should be debarred from further church 
privileges. This would unchurch (?) the larger part of 
the "Christian World." 

What next? If such children, born unholy, should in 
after life repent and believe for themselves, then they 
should also be baptized, seeing their first mistaken bap- 
tism was a nullity. This they ought to do and to have 
left the other undone, if mistakes are allowed to be 
corrected. What next? 

If this doctrine of hereditary holiness be true, then all 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 135 

children born of believing parents (Baptists included), 
and who in after life become believers, and claim to have 
become regenerated or born again, are mistaken, since 
regeneration can take place but once, and that takes 
place always at birth where one of the parents is a 
believer. So all such conversions are delusions and all 
such professions "are false. What shall we say next? 

If spiritual regeneration is a second birth, or begetting 
again, then hereditary holiness is not regeneration at all, 
since it is simultaneous with natural generation. Such 
can't be born again. What then? 

If this conclusion is correct, then Presbyterian subjects 
of baptism are not regenerated or born of the Spirit, as 
all this is included in hereditary holiness ; imparted by a 
parent. What then? 

If this last statement be true, then there is a difference 
between the regeneration of a personal believer in after 
life, and the bi-generation of hereditary holiness. What 
next? 

If children of believing parents, baptized or unbaptized, 
should live a shameful life and die in impenitence, as 
many do, and parents should continue steadfast unto the 
end, then these children, regardless of moral character, 
must be found among the elect, as by regeneration they 
are the children of God for once and forever. Col. R. G. 
Ingersoll had Presbyterian parents who continued stead- 
fast unto the end. Therefore Col. Ingersoll being regen- 
erated at birth, and having the "sealing ordinance, he is 
saved forever." What more? 

The same would be true should one of the parents also 
become an apostate, since the faith of one parent is 
sufficient for regeneration. What next? 

John gave many tests of regeneration, but a believing 
parent he did not give. What next? 



136 THE PERFECT GOSPEL , 

The Presbyterians put this construction on the cove- 
nant of grace: "The promise is to you and your children" 
means natural offspring, even when there is only one 
believing parent, and they put their seal on all such off- 
spring, counting them for the seed, and thus they pro- 
nounce the promise sure to all such. These are taught 
the Catechism and trained in the delusion of this hope 
into the form of religion. If this is the Presbyterian 
application of the doctrines of grace, how can it be said 
that Baptists believe with them on the doctrine of grace? 
On the contrary, I say, that if a child had two believing 
parents — Baptist parents, yea, grand-parents, and the 
child should be immersed, yea, thrice, and should be 
taught Spurgeon's Catechism and Boyce's Theology till 
sound in literal orthodoxy and with convictions devel- 
oped into a bulldog Baptist, fighting faithfully for the 
faith once for all delivered to the saints ; yea, as orthodox 
as the Jews who crucified Christ for heresy — then let him 
give all he has to feed the poor and his body to be 
burned — if inherited regeneration is all he has, "he is a 
child of the devil, and can't escape the damnation of 
hell." "For that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and 
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, and unless one 
be "born again, and from above, he can't see the kingdom 
of God." If this human generation is Calvinism, then 
please count me out, more on grace than baptism, church 
government, church and State, etc., etc. What next? 

If this doctrine holds good ECCLESIASTICALLY, 
then the Presbyterian church must partake of the nature 
of its mother. Was the "mother of harlots" a regen- 
erated church? Can the stream rise above its source? 
Yet Presbyterians are better than the Catholics, and 
better than their creed, yet it comes not by way of 
hereditary holiness. What then? 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 137 

Church character can't rise above its source, but per- 
sonal character can become "almost divine/' because it 
may be of God, and thus have a divine source by regen- 
eration of God's Spirit. What last? 

If Presbyterians were judged out of their own mouths 
and by their creed, we could not have Christian fellow- 
ship for them. But we have a more charitable judgment 
for them than seen by our uncharitable judgment of 
their creed. 



Chapter XII 
THE DOCTRINE OF ASSURANCE 

These things I write unto you that believe on the name 
of the Son of God; that ye may know that you have 
eternal life." 

John wrote his Gospel that men might believe that 
Jesus is the Christ, and that believing, they might have 
life through his name. He wrote his first General Epistle 
"to those who believe on his name, that they might 
KNOW that they had eternal life." This is clear proof 
that a believer may have eternal life and not know it. 
Knowledge SHOULD be added to faith. John wrote 
these things in vain, if Assurance is not a needful, profit- 
able and practical doctrine. To KNOW whether we 
are regenerated, born of God, or of the Spirit, or from 
above; to KNOW whether we are children of God or 
new creatures in Christ; to KNOW the vital doctrines, 
whether we are redeemed, forgiven, justified, sanctified, 
and saved, is the object of our present enquiry. If the 
believer walks in doubt and darkness, it is because he 
don't try to know, or it may be because of the many cor- 
ruptions of the Doctrine of Assurance. This seems to 
be chosen ground on which Satan has sowed his tares, 
that God's people might be hindered in both their faith 
and knowledge. 

Religion is intellectual, emotional, ceremonial, prac- 
tical, and in all Spiritual. All of these may be natural, 
literal, formal, and not spiritual. Assurance itself may 

138 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 139 

be intellectual, and not spiritual. What are the words 
John wrote that constitute the standard of our measure- 
ment. How much is intellectual, emotional, ceremonial, 
practical, etc. (?). Some say not at all intellectual; so 
they make ignorance the mother of devotion. Not at 
all emotional say the rationalist; so he wants no religion 
below his eyes. Emotion and head knowledge are good, 
if of the right kind. They must be tested by the things 
John wrote. Some try themselves by ceremonies obeyed, 
and duties performed. These are good tests in their 
places, but they must not be included in the things John 
wrote. A man must in some way know something to be 
saved; and still more to be Assured; but we don't have 
to know it all to be either saved or Assured, for no one 
knows it all. Knowledge in religious matters, as in all 
other matters must begin at zero, and grow towards per- 
fection. Assurance, like faith and knowledge, has its 
degrees. An understanding of all John wrote would give 
strong Assurance and would involve the head, heart and 
life. If religion were altogether intellectual, then we 
need not look to the emotions for assurance; if altogether 
emotional, we need not look to the intellect; if all emo- 
tional and intellectual, then we need not look to the life. 
Mind and emotion should grow steadily and never be 
excited, for excitement impairs both. Even anger may 
be good if reason is not dethroned. Mind and emotion 
must co-operate, and neither must work injury to the 
other. Right knowledge begets right emotion, and these 
a right life, and to all three we must look for right 
Assurance. Young believers are not to be encouraged 
to profess Assurance. They must believe they are saved, 
then taught to seek assurance as they add knowledge to 
their faith. As even saving faith has its degrees, the 
young convert should seek to strengthen his faith, and 



140 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

establish himself in it. The fruits of faith are peace 
("peace in believing") ; joy ("the joy of faith") ; and 
love, to Him in whom he believes, with the desire of 
obedience. Let him first assure his faith, and then grow 
to a "full assurance of understanding." 

Beginning at the a-b-c of this subject, let me epitomize 
some Bible statements concerning our first experience in 
passing from death to life. We know that once we were 
in a state of indifference and darkness concerning our- 
selves, and eternal life; so indifferent as to be dead to 
our eternal interests. Like the multitudes that walk our 
streets during church hours, while the messengers are 
making overtures of mercy. Not only are they indif- 
ferent, but their minds are filled with animosity to it all. 
Haters of God, and rejecters of Christ and his proffered 
grace. We know that we were blinded by the god of this 
world, and that we walked in spiritual darkness and 
death. We know that we walked after the flesh, and 
tried to fulfill its desires. We know that we came to 
ourselves, and considered our latter end. We thought 
upon our ways, and turned our thoughts toward God. 
We know that we were convinced and convicted of sin, 
of righteousness, and of judgment. We know that the 
secrets of our hearts were made manifest to us; that sin 
appeared sin to us; yea appeared exceeding sinful, and 
worked death to our former hopes. The fiery serpents 
bit us, and we became sick of sin; being thus afflicted we 
mourned and wept. We felt a godly sorrow for sin, and 
trembled at God's word. The spirit of heaviness came 
upon us, and with a broken heart and contrite spirit, 
we labored and were heavy laden. We begun to hunger 
and thirst after righteousness. Our heart panted after 
God. We sought him with all our heart and with all our 
soul and strength. We abhorred ourselves, and sought 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 141 

repentance carefully with tears. We smote our breast, 
saying: "God be merciful to me a sinner." In propor- 
tion to our knowledge, we were in trouble and sorrow; 
in mire and clay, and we called mightily upon God for 
deliverence. These experiences, of which there are many 
and no two alike, were in proportion, not to guilt, but to 
knowledge of it. The saved were once in such a state, 
and the realization of it was in proportion to the knowl- 
edge of what was written in the word and conscience. 
Now, did deliverance come? Was there a change? 
Whereas we were blind, did we see? Or rather do we 
see? Have old things passed away, and do all things 
appear new? Has enmity to God been slain? Was our 
wounded heart healed? Was the sin that revived in our 
conscience taken away? Was the mourner comforted? 
Did we get beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, 
and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness? 
Did we quaff our thirst at the fountain of living waters? 
Did our soul eat that which was bread? In seeking the 
Lord, and feeling after him, was he found of us? Did 
we gladly receive the word, and did we find peace in 
believing? Did we taste and see that the Lord is good? 
Did he appear precious to us when we believed? Being 
justified by faith in his blood, did we have peace with 
God through our Lord Jesus Christ? Did we turn from 
our wicked ways, and did we seek the ways of righteous- 
ness? Did we love God and his people, and did we seek 
their companionship and fellowship? Did we love God's 
house, and did we seek to worship there? Were we glad 
when they said, "Let us go unto the house of the Lord"? 
Did we so love the Lord that his commandments were 
not grievous? Have we continued to run the heavenly 
race, or did we tire, and faint, and fall away? Are we 
again in darkness and doubt ; in spiritual dearth like unto 



142 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

death? Assurance is not for such. The backslider must 
return, before he can know he has eternal life. If he 
has forgotten that he was once purged from his old sins, 
these assuring experiences of which I now speak are as 
an idle tale that is told. He must remember from whence 
he has fallen, and repent, and do the first works. Salva- 
tion may be his, but not its joys, nor rewards. 

So much for the knowledge of our old self, and the 
transition to the new. Let us now look to the further 
evidences of the new self, and assure our hearts of eternal 
life. 

But we must remember, that it is the spirit, and not 
the flesh, that has been begotten of God; and this new 
divine principle of life, implanted in the soul, is in con- 
flict with the old carnal mind, which was according to 
the flesh, and that these are contrary the one to the 
other. The warfare of these two is to bring the faculties 
of the mind, the affections of the heart, and the members 
of the body, to make them the instruments of righteous- 
ness unto holiness. Sometimes we do the things we would 
not, and then do not the things we would. If this con- 
flict is going on, I beg you to be encouraged and not 
discouraged. Paul said: "I know that in me, that is my 
flesh, there dwelleth no good thing." So if you would 
know that you have eternal life, you must look to the 
spirit, and not to the flesh. If we are carnal-minded all 
the time, we are yet in our sins; but if we have been 
renewed in the spirit of our minds, then there is a con- 
flict, and our assurance is in proportion to our spiritual- 
mindedness. Like Peter, if we fall, we will rise again. 
Assurance came to him, not in his fallen state, but after 
his recovery. 

Now let us look to the new, or inner man, for 
testimony, and then to its successful operation in the 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 143 

members of the body for double -testimony. The inner 
testimony is sufficient to assure ourselves, but the outer 
will assure others of our assurance. First we will look 
to the internal tests to assure ourselves that we have been 
born of God. The tests were sufficient at the time for 
FAITH, but let us now advance to KNOWLEDGE. 
And first: 

How May I Know That I Have Been Born of God? 
I John 4:7, "Beloved, let us love one another; and every 
one that loveth has been born of God." Love is internal 
and emotional. Love as we ought, and we will know 
as we ought. As love increases, assurance will increase. 
But who is the ''one another"? Not the false brethren, 
or the disorderly walkers or workers, but those referred 
to in chap. 1:7: "Those who walk in the light, and have 
fellowship one for the other." "We are of God," he had 
just said, and these are the "beloved" who know God. 
By our LOVE of such we know we have been born of 
God. 

2. How May We Know We Have Passed from Death 
Unto Life? 3:14-15 and 4:20: "We know that we have 
passed from death unto life, because we love the 
brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in 
death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and 
ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in 
him. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, 
he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he 
hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 
And this commandment have we from him, that he who 
loveth God loves his brother also." We must look within 
for this master emotion. Don't ask your head if you 
have passed from death to life. It may boast of its 
knowledge of the doctrines, and of your obedience of the 
commandments; but all that does not prove that you 



144 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

have passed from death unto life. Love of God's chil- 
dren, as such, is spiritual, and when this love is made 
perfect, then assurance will be made perfect. Love as 
you should, and you will know as you would. 

We have considered two elements of Assurance — The 
Experience of Conversion, and Love of the Brethren. 

Remember, if there is no Experience of Conversion 
there can be no proper Assurance. These tests are for 
the truly converted. 

'The stony heart must become a heart of flesh that 
can feel. Hence the Spirit begins the work on the inside 
by convicting of sin, because they believe not on Christ. 
This is to make them conscious of sin, which is experi- 
mental knowledge. It works godly sorrow for sin, and 
this repentance, which the man must know experi- 
mentally, or he has no knowledge of them at all. When 
sin appears sin, and works death in him by that which is 
good, he knows it. When he is pierced to the heart, he 
knows it, and is likely to cry out as at pentecost. When 
"the secrets of the heart are made manifest and he falls 
down on his face," he knows it. When he is sin-sick 
enough to need the Great Physician, he knows it. When 
agonizing to enter through the strait gate, he knows it. 
When he seeks repentance with tears, he knows it. When 
his heart is broken, his spirit contrite, and he trembles 
at the Word, he knows it. When he hungers and thirsts 
after righteousness, he knows it. When, like the prodigal 
son, he comes to himself, and realizes his ruined condi- 
tion, he knows it. When repentance brings a change of 
thought and purpose, he knows it. When he believes in 
Christ to the purifying of his heart and saving of his 
soul, he knows it. Being justified by faith and having 
peace with God, he knows it. When God testifies by 
giving him the witness in himself, he knows it. When 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 145 

God sets his seal upon him and gives the earnest of his 
Spirit in his heart, he knows it. When he tastes and 
sees that the Lord is good, he knoivs it. When he loves 
God and his Christ and all his people, he knows it. When 
he has passed from death unto life, he knows it. When 
he passes from darkness to light, he knows it. When old 
things have become new, he knows it. When he is happy 
from the consciousness of sins forgiven, he knows it. 
Confidence, assurance, hope, faith, love, peace, are mat- 
ters for experimental knowledge, or they are not known 
at all. The testimony of all saints of all ages is that 
the penitent prayer, offered in faith, heals the sin-sick 
soul as well as the body. Those who have come thus far, 
learning by experience the first principles of the doctrine 
of Christ, can go on to perfection. Those who did not 
thus begin, and thus advance, know nothing as they 
ought to know. The one has perfect knowledge as far as 
he has gone, the other "is in darkness, even until now." 

But those who have passed from death to life ought 
to Walk in the Light. Life requires light. The true 
Light is the light of life. Head-light is not the test. 
Many boast of their light while they walk in darkness. 

I John 2:9-11: "He that saith he is in the light, and 
hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He 
that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is 
none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth 
his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness and 
knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness 
hath blinded his eyes." There is an intellectual light for 
the head, and it may make the head right, and leave the 
heart wrong. "But God shines into the heart to give 
the light." II Cor. 4:6. No one wrongly disposed 
towards his brother can be right with God. It is a fear- 
ful thing to walk in darkness, and not know whither you 



146 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

go. Being assured of life, we can be assured of light also. 

Again, How May We Know That We Are Children 
of God? We are all children of God by faith in Jesus 
Christ; but how may we know we have faith in him? 
I John 5:10: "He that believeth on the Son of God, 
hath the witness in himself." Who is the witness, and 
how T does he testify? Gal. 6:6: "And because you are. 
sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your 
hearts crying Abba, Father." Have you this filial feel- 
ing and affection? If God is your Father, then you are 
his child, and the Holy Spirit tells you so, by enabling 
you to cry Abba, Father. When God sealed us, and gave 
us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts, and anointed 
us, it was to establish and assure us. Rom. 8:14-17: 
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are 
the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of 
bondage again to fear: but ye have received the spirit 
of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit 
himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the 
children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of 
God, and joint heirs with Christ." 

If we are led by our own devices, or by some other 
spirit, or by a wrong interpretation of God's word, or by 
the commandments of men, then are we lacking in one of 
the greatest witnesses to our Assurance that we are the 
children of God. "Unto you who believe, He is pre- 
cious." Internal again, but sure. He is precious and 
gracious to those who have tasted of his goodness. To 
those who reject experimental religion, assurance is im- 
possible. And yet they are the loudest in professing it. 
When one casts his burden on the Lord, and no longer 
feels it, that is the experimental witness within. I be- 
lieve every true saint has more than he has recognized, 
or realized, because he has not studied the evidences. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 147 

As the Holy Spirit is a witness within us, let us inquire 
next : 

How May We Know That the Holy Spirit Dwells in 
Us? Ought we to know? I Cor. 6:9: "What! know ye 
not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which 
is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your 
own?" "If we love one another God dwelleth in us, and 
his love is perfected in us. / Hereby know we that we 
dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us his 
Spirit." Again: "Hereby we know that he abides in us, 
by the Spirit which he has given us." These Scriptures 
plainly teach that we ought to know that the Spirit 
dwells in us, and by that, we Know that God Dwells in 
us, etc. Now we ask again: 

How May We Know That the Spirit is in Us, and 
How May We Know When He Dwells in Us? for he 
is often grieved, and quenched, and resisted. Gal. 
5:23-23 gives us the answer. The spirit of the world 
is known by its worldly-mindedness. When Satan — the 
evil spirit — entered into Judas, he betrayed his Lord. 
When he entered into Peter, he denied his Lord, and 
when he entered into Ananias and Sapphira, they lied 
unto the Holy Spirit. They did wickedly, as all do 
under his influence. So the Holy Spirit is to be recog- 
nized by His Fruits. The works of the flesh, which are 
dominated by the spirit of the world and of the devil, 
are given in the three preceding verses; and as sure as 
we "know that those who do such things 'are in the flesh' 
and shall not inherit the kingdom of God," so sure wc 
should be that those in contrast have the fruits of the 
Spirit, which are: "Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentle- 
ness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance." The one 
who exemplifies these fruits in his life has the Holy 
Spirit dwelling in him, and the degree of assurance, both 



148 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

to himself and others, is in proportion to the possession 
and exemplification of these fruits in the heart and life. 
All of these are emotions and dispositions, given by the 
Spirit, and is positive, and sufficient proofs, that the pos- 
sessor walks, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 
"If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in the Spirit." 
"Hereby we know that we are of the truth and shall 
Assure our hearts before Him." 

By living in the Spirit, we assure ourselves, and by 
walking in the Spirit, we assure others of our assurance. 
But how ugly it is to see a man advertising his assurance. 
He boasts that he doubts his assurance at no time, while 
others doubt it all the time. His erring emotions delude 
him, but his erring life can't delude others. When tried 
by the tests we will next notice, he fails. One may de- 
ceive himself as well as others, by the testimony of 
emotions alone. Emotions are related to truth, and to 
the life, so that when they are wrong the life is wrong; 
so we need the double test to make Assurance Sure. To 
know Christ is life everlasting; but — 

How May We Know That We Know Him? I Jno. 
2:3: "Hereby we do know that we have known him if 
we keep his commandments." "He that says: I know 
him, and keep not his commandments, is a liar, and the 
truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in 
him truly is the love of God perfected. He that says 
he abides in him, ought to walk even as he walked." 
A good tree brings forth good fruit. If Christ dwells 
in the heart, and is Lord of it, then he rules the life; 
for out of the heart are the issues of life. The Father 
dwelt in the Son, and the Son kept the Father's com- 
mandments. So if Christ dwell in us, we will keep his 
commandments. I think I saw one of the liars men- 
tioned by John. He came from Norway, and into a 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 149 

meeting I was holding in Hot Springs. I never saw a 
man that loved more, "in word and tongue." He loved 
God, and Christ, AND ALL CHRISTIANS ALIKE. I 
at once suspected him, for that means that he made 
no distinction between error and truth. When I asked 
about his church relations, he threw up his hands in 
holy (?) horror. He professed that being perfected in 
love, he was above the laws of obedience to doctrines and 
ordinances. He quoted Col. 2:20-23 on me. I told him 
that the ordinances there referred to were the rudiments 
of the world, and the dogmata after the commandments 
and doctrines of men, which he could see by reading over 
the parenthesis in the text. But as the truth was not in 
him, he didn't want it to get in. So I excused him from 
further participation in the meeting. The heart and the 
life are the two witnesses that establish the truth of 
assurance. 

Love for the children of God is another fundamental 
test. "Every one that loveth him who begat, loveth also 
him that is begotten of him." But — 

How May We Know That We Love the Children of 
God? "By this we know that we love the children of 
God, when we love God, and keep his commandments." 
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his command- 
ments," and "His commandments are not grievous." At 
first the baptized disciples continued steadfastly in the 
apostles' doctrine, fellowship, hospitality, and prayers. 
The obedient children of God gravitate towards each 
other. Here the next point just fits. If we must love 
the children of God in order to get this test, we must 
recognize them as such. Then how may we know the 
children of God, so we can love them? I John 2:29: 
"If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every 
one that doeth righteousness has been begotten of him." 



150 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

Doing righteousness is the same as keeping his command- 
ments. "This is love, that we walk after his command- 
ments." "In this the children of God are manifest, and 
the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteous- 
ness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 
This is the whole duty of man, as also saith the com- 
mission: Teaching the baptized disciples to keep safely 
"all things whatsoever I have commanded you." "He 
that is of God, heareth God's word." No amount of 
emotion can compensate in the least for non-obedience 
or disobedience to any of Christ's commands. Even a 
failure to obey, from ignorance, or through false teach- 
ers, needs to be forgiven, and though forgiven, it detracts 
from rewards, as u in keeping his commands, there is 
great reward." Whosoever is born of God has the spirit 
of truth, and that begets the spirit of obedience, and by 
this we recognize the children of God, and being of that 
spirit ourselves we are bound to love and fellowship all 
such. 

Put it another way. How May We Know Those Who 
Love Jesus Christ? John 14:21: "He that hath my 
commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth 
me. If a man love me, he will keep my words." To 
both of these statements is added: "And I will love him 
and will manifest myself to him; and my Father will 
love him, and we will make our abode with him." "He 
that loveth me not, keepeth not my saying; and the 
word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who 
sent me." "He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth 
in him, and he in him." The word translated "keep" 
in these passages is the ^same translated "observe" in 
the commission, and was addressed and to be applied 
to Baptized disciples! It means guard, or keep safely. 
We cannot recognize one as loving Jesus Christ who 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 151 

teaches for doctrines the commandments of men. They 
are generally orthodox on Moses, but Christ's Peculiar 
commandments they call non-essential. "In essentials 
unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity," 
is a text manufactured by those who pervert the doctrine 
of Christ, and it contains a world of iniquity. Who is 
to decide the essentials, and the non-essentials? In all 
things charity means charity for error, and those who 
teach it, and severity for those who try to "keep safely 
the all things whatsoever." "In vain do they worship 
me who teach for doctrines the commandments of men." 
Such are mostly orthodox on moral law, and they wor- 
ship Christ, but they have changed his commandments. 
They don't like what he taught about the action, sub- 
jects and design of baptism; nor the restrictions of the 
supper; nor restricting the church to the congregation; 
nor restricting the number and authority of the officers; 
nor restricting the government of the church to its mem- 
bers; nor restricting salvation to Christ; nor to faith in 
Christ, yea all "the way of truth is evil spoken of." 
When they say that something else will do as well as 
Christ's non-essential doctrines, and commandments, 
they mean the changes will do better. They have not 
only died for the changes, but they have made them- 
selves drunk with the blood of those who would be faith- 
ful in keeping the commandments as first delivered to 
their trust. Daniel, Christ, Peter, John and Paul prophe- 
sied in unmistakable terms of the uprising of these false 
teachers; the persecuting "Whore," with her saducing 
harlot daughters. Read these prophecies, and note their 
literal fulfillment in these latter times. 

But you may say: How Can We Know and Distin- 
guish Between the Doctrines of Men and of Christ? 
They say you can't understand, and that you must leave 



152 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

the interpretation to them who have the rule over you, 
and that you must submit to such without question or 
demur. Well, if Christ was a failure as a teacher, and 
you can't understand him, then you are under no obli- 
gation in the matter. This is one of the doctrines of 
the devil, to turn you from obedience. It was said of 
the unbelieving Bereans: That "they received the Word 
with all readiness of mind; and searched the Scriptures 
daily to see if these were true." Christ said to new 
believers: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my 
disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the 
truth will make you free." He said to his advanced 
disciples: "My doctrine is not mine, but his who sent 
me. If any one wills to do his will, he shall know the 
doctrine whether it be of God." John says: "I have 
not written ^to you because ye know not the truth, but 
because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth." The 
elect lady and her children knew the truth, and they 
walked in it, and John greatly rejoiced in it. James 
says: "Do not error, my beloved brethren." "If any 
do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know 
that he saves a soul from death and hides a multitude 
of sins." John says: "He that transgresses, and abides 
not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God; but he that 
abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father 
and the Son." "We are of God; he that knoweth God 
heareth us; he that knoweth not God heareth not us." 
"Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of 
error." 

I close with the all-sufficient text: "These things I 
wrote unto you who believe on the name of the Son of 
God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life." I 
pray God we may all know it, and may so live as to 
make others know it. 



Chapter XIII 

PROVIDENCE 

"Making request, if by any means now at length I might have 
a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto, you." 
Rom. 1:10. 

In Acts 19:21 Paul purposed in Spirit to see Rome. 
In 23:11, the Lord expressed his purpose that Paul 
should testify in Rome. In the text, prayer is made 
that through whatever means of travel, he might have 
a prosperous journey by the will of God to reach Rome. 
So on the human side, there was purpose, prayers and 
means of travel. On the divine side, there is the pleas- 
urable will of God, the purpose of God, and the Provi- 
dence of God. The Providence of God as revealed in the 
gospel is sufficient for all the divine purposes concerning 
us. Hence I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE DOC- 
TRINE OF PROVIDENCE. It may not always bring 
about our desires and purposes, which are often wrong, 
but the will and purpose of God are always right. 

Providence is purpose APPLIED, or the practical part 
of purpose. If it is right for US to purpose beforehand 
what WE will do, it is right for God. If we had fore- 
knowledge and wisdom concerning all our work, it would 
be right to purpose all things pertaining to our work. 
God's knowledge and wisdom being infinite, it is right 
for him to "Purpose all things after the council of his 
own will." If we WOULD that God's will be done in 

153 



154 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

us, by us, and through us, then our will becomes con- 
nected with God's will, and purpose is practically made 
manifest to us, being applied in providence to our lives. 
The application of God's Purpose to our lives is Provi- 
dence, or Purpose made practical. "Known unto God 
are all HIS works from the beginning of the world." 
God has purposed the end of all things, and Providence 
will bring it about at the right time, and in the way 
purposed. So Predestination includes both Purpose and 
Providence. 

The first sermon Paul preached, "they took council to 
kill him," but he was let down the wall in a basket, 
and thus escaped. That was Providence. 

Antioch "raised a persecution against Paul, and EX- 
PELLED him out of their coast." From Iconium he 
fled to Lystra, where "they stoned him, and dragged him 
out, and left him as dead." But the disciples got around 
him and resuscitated him. From thence he went to 
Antioch and "had no small dissensions and disputations," 
which debate was moved to Jerusalem. In his meander- 
ings he tried to go into Asia and Bithynia, but the Spirit 
suffered him not, but by vision he was led to Philippi, 
where "they laid many stripes on him, and cast him into 
the inner prison." But he went on to Rome. Next, at 
Thessalonica, "the lewd fellows of the baser sort, set all 
the city in an uproar," but by night he was sent to Berea. 
There "the people were stirred up," and they had to send 
him to Athens, where he was "mocked." Thence to 
Corinth, where "they opposed themselves and blas- 
phemed," so he fled to Ephesus, and was at once brought 
to "the judgment seat." After disputing there three 
months in the Synagogues, and then two years daily in 
the school of Tyrrannus, many were hardened, and spoke 
evil of that way. Yet he must see Rome. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 155 

As an illustration of Purpose and Providence COM- 
BINED, let us follow Paul from here, on his long and 
perilous journey to Rome, thirty years from his first 
sermon. Acts 19:21 we have Paul's purpose, and in 
Acts 21:11 we have God's purpose in Christ. If both 
Purpose that Paul shall "see Rome," and "testify in 
Rome," then the MEANS to the end must be superin- 
tended by Providence. There are many such illustrations 
of Purpose and Providence, but this one is enough for 
this time. At the time of this purpose, Paul was at 
Ephesus, and according to the best reckoning, he was 
five years on the way to Rome. He purposed and 
planned and practiced the best he could, but it was the 
divine will that Paul should have a hard road to travel. 
His greatest servants must need have hardships. How 
else could God show us his overruling Providence, but 
by severe trials, to test Paul's faith, and to confirm ours? 
So this is an example of providence, written for OUR 
learning and comfort. The same providence is for all 
faithful servants. See what happened to Paul before he 
left Ephesus. "There arose no small stir about that 
way." Demetrius was the devil's agent to excite a mob, 
and to "fill them with wrath." The whole city was 
filled with confusion, and they caught two of Paul's 
companions, and rushed into the place of judgment. 
Paul would have ventured in, but "the people," and cer- 
tain of the chief ones of Asia, suffered him not. See the 
providence in that. The town clerk was also used of 
God in pacifying the mob. A narrow escape Paul made, 
and without the help of divine providence, through natu- 
ral men and measures, he would have died in Ephesus. 
"After the uproar ceased," Paul embraced the disciples, 
and started to Macedonia, and after the days of unleav- 
ened bread, he left Philippi for Troas, where a serious 



156 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

calamity happened to one of his auditors. From thence 
Paul, having left his cloak and parchments with Carpus, 
he footed it some thirty miles to Assos, and from there 
by ship he made several uneventful stops until he came 
to Miletus. He sent for the elders he left at Ephesus, 
and delivered that solemn charge found in Acts 20:17-38. 
Leaving Miletus, he made other unimportant stops until 
he arrived at Tyre, where he tarried seven days. Here 
"the disciples, through the Spirit, told him he should not 
go to Jerusalem." He next landed at Cesarea, and stayed 
with Philip and his four virgin daughters "who prophe- 
sied." Here he was met by a certain prophet from 
Jerusalem named Agabus, who took Paul's girdle and 
bound his own hands and feet, and said: "Thus saith 
the Holy Spirit, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the 
man that owns this girdle, and shall deliver him into the 
hands of the Gentiles." Then all begged Paul not to go, 
but he plead with them not to break his heart with their 
tears and entreaties, for he was ready to be bound and 
also to die for the Lord Jesus. Then they answered: 
"The will of the Lord be done." So Paul pressed on to 
Jerusalem and the cowardly James, the supposed pastor, 
got Paul into a questionable trick of Policy, that failed, 
as policy ought to fail, when principle is sacrificed. 
Despite the diplomacy, another mob was excited, and 
"all the city was moved, and ran together, and took 
Paul and went about to kill him." But as the Lord would 
have it, the chief captain heard of it IN TIME, and 
ran with his soldiers and centurions, and got there in 
time to rescue Paul. Look at it with natural eyes, and 
you must say that Paul will never see Rome. 

But- all of this was God's way of giving Paul an oppor- 
tunity to testify in Jerusalem. No amount of adver- 
tising bills and dodgers could have given him such a 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 157 

hearing. Read Paul's sermon and experience — enough to 
melt hearts of stone — but instead, they cried: "Away 
with this fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he 
should live," and they bound him with thongs, and tried 
to examine him by scourging, but deliverance came from 
the rod, and left him bound all night. The next day 
Paul rebuked the priest unwittingly, and set the Phari- 
ses and Sadducees on each other. Such was the dissen- 
sion between these sects that the " chief captain feared 
lest Paul should be pulled in pieces," so he sent soldiers 
to bring him into the castle for protection. The night 
following, the Lord stood by Paul and said: "Be of 
good cheer, Paul; for as thou hast testified of me in 
Jerusalem, so shalt thou testify in Rome." Rome is a 
long way from Jerusalem, and Paul will be several years 
getting there, and it will be "through many dangers, 
toils, and snares," but Providence is sufficient. The next 
verse after this promise of Providence, we are told of 
the plot of "more than forty Jews, binding themselves 
with an oath, that they would neither eat nor sleep, till 
they had killed Paul." They gave their plot and plan 
to the council, and it was all approved and would 
have been executed, but a CERTAIN LAD, PAUL'S 
NEPHEW, heard the plot and told his uncle Paul and 
the chief captain, who heard him favorably, and who 
called out 470 soldiers to escort Paul to Cesarea, where 
he was kept in Herod's Judgment Hall. Five days after, 
Ananias, the chief priest, took the orator Tartullus, and 
went to Cesarea to accuse Paul before governor Felix. 
The accusation was sustained by the elders, and the 
Jews. After Paul's defense, the case was deferred for 
thorough investigation. This left Paul in prison for two 
years, a good place to catch cold and die before getting 
to Rome. Then Festus came into office, and asked Paul 



158 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

if he would be willing to go back to Jerusalem for trial. 
But Paul, predestinarian as he was^ would not defy 
danger, but wisely appealed to Caesar. Agrippa, by 
courtesy, was invited to try Paul, and which gave Paul 
another opportunity to preach to Kings, to whom he had 
been sent. How could Paul get the ears of kings except 
as a prisoner? The cheapest and best way for Paul to 
go to Rome was as a prisoner, which gave him food and 
free passage to Caesar. Before starting, the prisoner at 
the bar made Felix the King tremble and ask for more 
time; and Agrippa confessed he was "almost persuaded." 
Then Paul was delivered to a Centurion, and they set 
sail for Rome. In the Adrian sea they were caught in a 
tempest called Euroclydon, which drove them up and 
down with such fierceness that for fourteen days and 
nights the hardened seamen ate nothing, and "all hope 
that they could be saved was taken away." Then Paul 
prayed, and had a vision, that none would be lost, yet 
they must use all the means in their power to save them- 
selves. That is just like God's predestination — the end 
is determined, also things, means, and instrumentalities. 
The vessel was wrecked, but the 276 passengers swam 
to shore. Before doing so the soldiers decided to kill 
Paul, as they were responsible for his safe delivery to 
Caesar. But neither the soldiers nor the storm kept Paul 
from getting to Rome. They landed on a strange island, 
during a very cold rain, and in making a fire, a venom- 
ous viper seized Paul's hand, and they all expected him 
to fall down dead, but he didn't. After three months' 
stay on the island, where Paul bore much fruit, they 
started again for Rome, and were met a long way out 
by. the Roman saints, who cheered and escorted him to 
Rome, where he was comfortably imprisoned for two 
years more, which gave him a good opportunity to preach 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 159 

successfully. But finally Demas forsook him, and Alex- 
ander the coppersmith did him much evil and greatly 
withstood his words, yea, at his first answer no man 
stood with him, but all forsook him. Notwithstanding, 
the Lord stood with him, and strengthened him, that his 
preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gen- 
ales might hear, and he was delivered out of the mouth 
of lions, and Paul said the Lord would ever deliver and 
preserve him to the end. 

The Book abounds with like cases of Providence. They 
were all written for our instruction and hope, and how 
much we need the lesson of Providence. How often in 
the trials wisely appointed us do we find ourselves doubt- 
ing, and asking ourselves if God has not forgotten and 
forsaken us. Yet, on all the lives of his faithful servants 
the Providence of -God is just as manifest as in the cases 
recorded in the Bible. How many and marvelous the 
divine deliverances from dangers seen, and many more 
unseen. If he feeds the birds that toil not, and numbers 
the hairs on our heads, and suffers not a sparrow to fall 
to the ground without his notice, then why should we 
doubt his providence, especially if we commit our way to 
him that he may direct our steps? The Book and our 
lives are so full of promises fulfilled, that I am bold to 
say, I am not ashamed of the Providences provided for 
us in the Gospel. 



Chapter XIV 

PROVISIONS 

I am not ashamed of the PROVISIONS of the Gospel. 
This beautifully dovetails into the other, which was 
PRESENT Providence according to his PURPOSES. 
This is FUTURE Provisions according to his PROM- 
ISES. How exceeding great and precious and numerous 
are these promises for future deliverance from dangers, 
and directions in duties, and rewards for labor and sacri- 
fice and suffering. When Paul said, in Tit. 4:17, that 
the Lord stood with him, and strengthened him, and 
delivered him in his PRESENT needs, he was embold- 
ened to forecast the future by saying: "And the Lord 
shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve 
me unto his heavenly kingdom." He had said in verses 
7, 8: "I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, 
I have finished my course; henceforth there is laid up 
for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the 
righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to 
me only, but to all who love his appearing." 

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, 
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word, 
What more could he say than to you he hath said," etc., 

is not overwritten, but underwritten. It does not fully 
represent the reality, strong as it seems. "Eye hath not 
seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart 
of man, the things that God hath prepared (or Provided) 
for them that love him." How much of that can you 
take in? There are some Scriptures that defy reading. 

160 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 161 

We can give the sound of the words with our mouths, 
but we cannot sound the depths of the meaning with our 
thoughts. Here are a few of the unreadable Scriptures: 
Rom. 8:32: "He that spared not his own Son, but de- 
livered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him 
freely give us all things." Who can scale the heights, 
survey the breadths, and fathom the depths of "ALL 
THINGS"? Who has a mouth large enough, and a voice 
loud enough, and a mind strong enough to sound, or 
even to see, the sense of "all things," the grace in "freely 
giving," or the sacrifice in sparing not, but delivering 
up his Son? 

Take another, I Cor. 3:21-23: "Therefore let no man 
glory in men; for all things are yours." Not some things; 
not many things; but ALL THINGS. Not may be; not 
should be; not will be, but ARE. Then follows the 
inventory of the all things: "Whether Paul, or Apollos, 
or Cephas, or the WORLD, or life, or death, or things 
present, or things to come; all ARE yours, and ye ARE 
Christ's, and Christ is God's." Who can add anything 
to that? "All things are for the elect's sake." "We 
know that all things work together for good to them that 
love God, to them who are the called according to his 
purpose." I challenge any improvement on that state- 
ment. Once more: "The Spirit himself beareth witness 
with our spirit that we are the children of God; and if 
children then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with 
Christ." That takes in the Universe, with nothing left 
out. So I am not ashamed of the Provisions of the Gos- 
pel. No imperfections here. 

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the 
earth." Is meekness on our part the price we pay, and 
in consideration of which, we get the earth? Let the 
Arminian who thinks so, repent and pray God if per- 



162. THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

chance this thought may be forgiven him. Inheritance 
is not bought. Even so generous an offer as the big earth 
for little meekness would frustrate Grace. Meekness is 
one of the many characteristics that describe the heirs 
of "all things/' and not the price they pay. So "he that 
believeth not shall be damned," does not express the 
cost of unbelief, but is only one of the many character- 
istics of that class. So the many characteristics of the 
saved and the lost do not express conditions of salvation 
or damnation, but they describe the character and por- 
tend the consequences. Those in blue and those in gray 
are described and recognized by their uniforms, but the 
uniforms are only signs or characteristics of each. Faith, 
love, obedience, etc., are characteristics of the saved, and 
not the prices they pay for salvation. Perish the 
thought! Salvation can't be purchased by us. 

Salvation by grace and heirship of all things by prom- 
ise are PROVISIONS of the gospel. 

But besides these there are rich and exceeding great 
Rewards for our works of righteousness. The earth we 
are to inherit is to be inhabited by people of various 
degrees of honor, just as it now is in this life. This life, 
and state of existence, is by inheritance, and not by 
purchase; but the various stations of honor and useful- 
ness and happiness in this life come in a different way. 
We may make our home a heaven or a hell.. Whether 
we shall rule or be ruled; or whether we shall rule one 
city, or two, or five, will be determined by the improve- 
ment of our talents in the Master's service. We get 
more by grace than we can conceive, yet that leaves 
ample room for the unspeakable rewards of righteousness. 
Even a cup of cold water, or a word in season, have 
their rewards. I am not ashamed of the Provisions of 
the gospel, for they are greater than we can conceive. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 163 

If the good-for-nothing saints who went about asking 
the world to employ them, and the Lord to excuse them 
— and there are millions such — if these are to come out 
as well in the end as those who spent and were spent 
in his service, or those who laid down their lives for the 
Lord Jesus, then there would be an error in equity of 
which I would be ashamed. But if everyone is to be 
rewarded according to his works, whether good or bad. 
including every idle word, and every omission of duty, 
and every unimproved opportunity under the rule, "He 
that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not. to him it is 
sin"; if strict justice with no respect of persons is to 
rule in all these cases, then I am not ashamed. On the 
other hand, if one keeps himself in the market place as 
a candidate for service, and is not employed, the fault 
is not his, and if he should fare as well as those who 
labored all the day, and is rewarded for the will as much 
as for the deed, I am not ashamed of that. 

The exceeding great and precious Promises and Pro- 
visions of God, like the universe, or infinite space, are 
too much for our little minds and faith. Like the prom- 
ise made to Abraham — first Canaan, then extended as 
far as his knowledge extended, then from Egypt to the 
Euphrates, then to '"the earth," then to ''the world," 
then "to things present and things to come,'' then to 
joint heirship with Christ which includes all worlds. If 
a far-off, unseen world is left out. then it might be 
greater, and that would leave the inheritance imperfect. 
But when he gives us all things, and himself also, so we 
can say, "My God," and his Son also, so we can say. 
"My Lord," and then gives us his Spirit, and his Word 
— what else could he give? If he delivers us from all 
evil and from the evil one, and then withholds from us 
no good thing, now or hereafter, but freely gives us all 



164 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

things, then what is there in the Provisions to be 
ashamed of? 

Let your mind stretch itself all it can on the promised 
inheritance spoken of by Daniel the prophet in his 
seventh chapter: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, 
ONE like the Son of man came with the clouds of 
heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they 
brought him near before him. And there was given him 
dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, 
nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion 
IS an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, 
and his kingdom THAT which shall not be destroyed. 
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, 
and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days 
came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most 
High; and the time came that the saints possessed the 
kingdom. And he shall speak great words against the 
Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most 
High, and think to change times and laws : and they shall 
be given into his hand until a time and times and the 
dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they 
shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy 
IT unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and 
the greatness of the kingdom UNDER the whole heaven, 
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most 
High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all 
dominions shall serve and obey." But such honors are 
for the SAINTS or holy ones, and let us not presume 
too much lest we are only "called saints." Holy ones 
live holy lives. Our life is the index to our character. 
Here it is made so plain that we need not err. Rom. 
8:12-17: "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to 
the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the 
flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 165 

the deeds of the body ye shall live. For as many as 
are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 
For ye have not received th'e spirit of bondage again to 
fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby 
we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself beareth wit- 
ness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs 
with Christ; IF SO BE THAT WE SUFFER WITH 
HIM, that WE MAY BE ALSO GLORIFIED TO- 
GETHER." 

How did he suffer? Answer: "For righteousness sake." 
And what is righteousness? The keeping of his com- 
mandments. This is not suffering for obeying his com- 
mandments, but for guarding them. 

The Jews were very correct morally, and others 
socially, and others intellectually, and others civilly, 
and these are all right in their places, and yet these 
very ones may persecute you for contending for the 
Commandments of Christ. Those are to be heirs of all 
things, who counted all things but loss for Christ, their 
own lives included. "Those that live godly in Christ 
Jesus shall suffer persecution." It is through suffering 
to glory. Are you traveling that route? If so, your 
present light afflictions, which are but for a moment, are 
not worthy to be compared to "the far more exceeding 
and eternal weight of glory." 0, slow of heart to believe! 
Two brothers came from the old country to this and 
farmed together. They fell out about the profits, and 
while quarreling a letter came with a check on the bank 
of England for enough to pay their way to the immense 
inheritance that had befallen them. After realizing and 
coming to themselves, they became ashamed, and tried 
to yield to each other all their little contentions. 



Chapter XV 
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE GOSPEL 

The subject now for discussion may not be vital as 
pertains to SALVATION, but is vital as pertains to 
SERVICE. Service without Salvation ends in great loss 
— loss of the soul, no difference how much the service — 
and so does salvation without service end "in great loss — 
the loss of present happiness and usefulness and eternal 
rewards. The world today is sadly afflicted with both 
of these errors. How many are DOING religion, and 
FEEL not the power thereof; and many are professing 
religion who DENY the power thereof; some even "deny- 
ing the Lord that bought them." And how many who 
possess and profess salvation, who are not SHOWING 
the power thereof to produce good fruits in a life of 
service. The two following passages support these two 
views. Matt. 7:21-27: 

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall 
enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the 
WILL OF MY FATHER who is in heaven." (Prayed 
much and did much.) "MANY will say to me in that 
day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? 
and in thy name have cast out devils and in thy name 
done many wonderful works? And THEN will I pro- 
fess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye 
that work INIQUITY. Therefore whosoever heareth 
these sayings OF MINE, and doeth THEM, I will liken 
him unto a wise man, which built his house UPON A 
ROCK: And the rain descended, and the floods came, 
and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it 

166 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 167 

fell not; for it was FOUNDED UPON A ROCK. And 
every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth 
THEM NOT, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which 
built his house UPON THE SAND: And the rains de- 
scended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and 
beat upon that house; and IT FELL: and great was 
the fall of it." 

These are all seemingly good works, but not well 
founded. The safety is in the foundation, and "the will 
of God" is that foundation, and the "saying" of Christ 
directs the service. In I Cor. 3:9-15, the case is reversed. 
Read closely: 

"For we are laborers TOGETHER WITH GOD: ye 
are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. According 
to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise 
master-builder, I have laid the FOUNDATION, and 
another buildeth thereon. But let EVERY MAN take 
heed HOW he buildeth thereupon. For other FOUN- 
DATION can no man lay than that is laid, which is 
JESUS CHRIST. Now if any man build upon THIS 
FOUNDATION gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, 
stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for 
the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by 
fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of WHAT 
SORT IT IS. If any man's work abide which he hath 
built thereupon, he shall receive a REWARD. If any 
man's work shall be burned, he shall SUFFER LOSS: 
but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 

Here are good works on a bad foundation, and bad 
works on a good foundation, and they both go for 
nothing. 

In the first Scripture, there are many, with many 
good works — the very best works — "prophesying in his 
name," "casting out devils in his name," and "in his 



168 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

name doing many wonderful works/' and they were much 
in prayer, saying, Lord, Lord ; and yet they were workers 
of iniquity. They never knew the Lord, nor the Lord 
them. The Lord knows them that are his, and they 
know him, and they hear his voice, and they follow him. 
But there are imitators, teaching for doctrines the com- 
mandments of men, instead of "the will of the Father," 
and "the sayings of Christ." They are professors of 
religion and doers of religion but not possessors of re- 
ligion. Christ said there would be many .such at the 
judgment, and Peter said there would be "many, who 
followed their ways of perdition, speaking evil of the 
way of truth." The wrong is not in WHAT they did, 
but How. Take heed HOW ye hear, HOW ye believe, 
HOW ye understand, HOW ye build, even on the right 
foundation. We must give heed to both the what and 
the how, to both matter and manner. We have discussed 
the vital importance of the what, and also the vital 
importance of the Order of the whats; now we are to 
discuss the vital importance of the How, the manner of 
doing, for the moral quality of the act is not in the 
action, but in the motive, or the principles governing the 
action. So now let us try to study the 

PRINCIPLE. 

I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE PRINCIPLE OF 
THE GOSPEL. There are two principles governing 
service — the Coersive and Voluntary. The first, when 
regulated, is called Law, and I am not ashamed of Law. 
It is of the utmost importance, not only for those to 
be regulated by it, but for others who might be affected 
by lawlessness. The Standard Dictionary defines Law 
as follows: "THE LAW IS A RULE OF ACTION, 
ESTABLISHED BY RECOGNIZED AUTHORITY, 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 169 

TO ENFORCE JUSTICE, AND DIRECT DUTY. 
LAW IN ITS IDEAL IS THE STATEMENT OF A 
PRINCIPLE OF RIGHT, IN MANDATORY FORM, 
BY COMPETENT AUTHORITY, WITH ADE- 
QUATE PENALTY FOR DISOBEDIENCE." This 
is a perfect definition of law. 

The moral law of God is for the natural man, or, as 
Paul puts it, "for the lawless and disobedient." I be- 
lieve in the enforcement of law, of all kinds. Everyone 
should be compelled, if necessary, to conform to SOCIAL 
law, or society would go to the bad. Take the restraints 
off of evil men, and what would society be? The same 
with CIVIL law. There can be no government without 
law observance, or law enforcement. "Let every trans- 
gression receive its just recompense of reward." There 
are laws governing the mind. One is that the mind 
should be educated in the right way, or it will be edu- 
cated in the wrong way. I stand tremendously for 
LIBERTY, yet I am in favor of COMPULSORY edu- 
cation when needed, and I am ready to give my reasons 
therefor, but not now. There are INDUSTRIAL laws, 
and law against vagrancy that should be strictly en- 
forced. "If a man work not "neither should he eat." 
There are laws governing MARRIAGE that ought to be 
strictly enforced. If one is not honest, make him so for 
his own good, and for the protection of others. If a 
self-licensed libertine use unbecoming LANGUAGE in 
society, put the penalty to him to the uttermost. Let 
the brute be restrained for his own sake, and for the 
sake of decent people. And so, I am in favor of the 
enforcement of MORAL law. Let every thief, and liar, 
and murderer, and whoremonger, etc., be punished by the 
law of the land, as well as by the law of God in the 
judgment. Moral law is for natural, or once-born men 



170 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

and women. We have a SABBATH law that ought to 
be enforced. That is, the CIVIL Sabbath law. Govern- 
ments generally have decided that men need a seventh 
day of rest, and have so provided. They have, for con- 
venience, wisely made this day to fall on the Christian's 
Sabbath of rest, as so many citizens are under a Chris- 
tian Sabbath law, and when we call for the enforcement 
of Sabbath laws, we never mean the law of the Christian 
Sabbath, for that can never be enforced, as will appear 
later on. 

Law has its important place, and must needs be in 
mandatory form with suitable penalties, because it un- 
dertakes to regulate the lives of unregenerate men. Law 
says, "Do this," and "not do that." "Thou shalt," and 
"Thou shalt not." All of this is coercive and necessary 
for those whose lives need compulsory restraints and 
direction. 

But, divine grace has instituted another Principle, to 
regulate the activities of those who have been born again, 
born of God, or regenerated. These have a new nature, 
and new disposition, and can easily be won and weaned 
from the coercive to the Voluntary Principle. These two 
Principles are partially exemplified in the state, by free 
men and slaves; one acting on the free, or Voluntary 
Principle, and the other on the slavish, or coercive Prin- 
ciple. Some are free-born, and some slave-born. Some 
BUY freedom, and some SELL themselves into slavery. 
But generally these are BIRTH principles. 

Here the devil has shown his skillful hand again by 
corrupting religion with the coercive principle. All so- 
called religions and churches are contaminated with it 
more or less. This was foreshadowed in the allegorized 
lives of Hagar and Sarah, one representing a covenant of 
works, and the other a covenant of grace. Hagar was 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 171 

a slave, and HAD to serve; Sarah was free, and LOVED 
to serve. And so their children Ishmael and Isaac repre- 
sent the children of these two covenants or Principles 
of Service. Ishmael *vas a born slave, and had to serve ; 
Isaac was free born, and LOVED to serve. Imagine the 
two boys running to meet their common father Abraham 
as he alights from his horse. Abraham orders Ishmael 
to feed his horse, while he and Isaac go hand in hand 
into the home. Isaac may have asked for the privilege 
and pleasure of feeding the horse, but that kind of work 
is for the slave boy, and another kind for the free boy. 
Paul tells us in Gal. 4:21-31 about this and applies the 
principles to two classes of religions — the false teachers 
he was combating, and who zealously urged legal salva- 
tion, or salvation by works, and he, and the Galatians, 
who, by a second birth, were under the Sarah Covenant 
of Grace, "Now we brethren as Isaac was, are the chil- 
dren of promise." "We are not children of a bond 
woman, but of the free. Stand fast, therefore, in the 
freedom wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not 
entangled AGAIN with a yoke of bondage," as you were 
before you were converted. The law was our school 
master to bring us to Christ. "Cast out the bond woman 
and her son, for the son of the bond woman shall not be 
heir with the son of the free woman. No difference how 
much or how well they serve on a slavish principle. 
Ishmael and Isaac were both sons of Abraham, and they 
joined in burying him, and quarrelled over the inherit- 
ance, but Ishmael had been disinherited by the first and 
only real wife of Abraham. 

(I must beg to refer to a fuller discussion of the sub- 
ject in my Exceeding Riches of the Manifold Grace of 
God in the chapter on Allegorical Grace.) 

As stated before, Christ came to teach an advanced 



172 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

curriculum on the schools of Moses. Jews had their 
synagogues in whicji they taught the law of Moses every 
Sabbath day, which was all right for once-born men, 
but those who entered the school of Christ, and were 
being taught by him, must leave these first principles — 
not reject them, but go on to higher and holier lessons. 
Law has two principles, only one of which is to be left 
behind, and the other is incorporated in the gospel. We 
must be bold like lions, but not savage like lions; wise 
as serpents, but not otherwise like serpents; harmless 
like doves, but not silly like doves; teachable and con- 
fiding like children, but not weak and ignorant like 
children. So with the two principles of law — the coer- 
cive is left behind, but the Invariableness of law is 
brought into the gospel of the Kingdom. Hence we read 
of "the law of liberty"— "law of faith," "law of love," 
"law of Christ." Not the coercive principle of law, but 
the unchangeable principle of voluntariness, or liberty. 
This voluntary principle must never be violated. All 
through the Old as well as the New Scriptures, this prin- 
ciple belongs to the reign of grace. The Old Scriptures 
emphasize this voluntary principle in all the sacrifices, 
services and gifts of all kinds. Read the 29th chapter of 
I Chronicles. How often is "willing offering," "with joy 
and gladness," insisted on! Here are a few verses, good 
as gold: 

"Moreover, BECAUSE I have SET MY AFFEC- 
TION to the house of my God, I have of mine OWN 
PROPER GOOD, of gold and silver, which I have given 
to the house of my God, over and above all that I have 
prepared for the holy house, even three thousand talents 
of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents 
of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses 
withal: The gold for things of gold, and the silver for 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 173 

the things of silver, and for all manner of work to be 
made by the hands of artificers. And WHO THEN IS 
WILLING TO CONSECRATE HIS SERVICE THIS 
DAY UNTO the Lord? 

"Then the chief of the fathers and princes of the tribes 
of Israel, and captains of thousands and of hundreds, 
with the rulers of the king's work, OFFERED WILL- 
INGLY, and GAVE, for the service of 'the house of God, 
of gold, five thousand talents, and ten thousand drams, 
and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass eighteen 
thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of 
iron. And they with whom precious stones were found 
gave them to the treasure of the house of the Lord. 
Then the people REJOICED, for that they OFFERED 
WILLINGLY, BECAUSE WITH PERFECT HEART 
THEY OFFERED WILLINGLY to the Lord: and 
David the king also REJOICED WITH GREAT JOY. 
. . . Both riches and honor come of thee, and thou 
reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; 
and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength 
unto all. Now, therefore, our God, we thank thee, and 
praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is 
my people, that we should be ABLE TO OFFER so 
WILLINGLY after this sort? FOR ALL THINGS 
COME OF thee, and OF thine OWN HAVE WE GIVEN 
THEE. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourn- 
ers, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are 
as a shadow, and there is none abiding. Lord our 
God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee 
a house for thine holy name cometh OF THINE HAND, 
AND IS ALL THINE OWN. I know also, my God, 
that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in upright- 
ness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have 
WILLINGLY OFFERED ALL those things: and now 



174 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

have I seen with JOY THY PEOPLE, which are present 
here, to OFFER WILLINGLY UNTO THEE. Lord 
God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep 
this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the 
heart of thy people, and PREPARE THEIR heart unto 
thee: And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, 
to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy 
statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the 
palace, for the which I have made provision." 

To the above add the following references: Ex. 25:2, 
35:5, 21:22-29, 36:3; Lev. 1:3, 7:16, 22:18-23, 23:38 
Num. 29:39; Deut. 12:6, 17, 16:10, 23:23; Judg. 5:2, 9 
II Chron. 17:16, 31:14, 35:8; Ezra 4:6, 3:5, 7:3, 8:28 
Ps. 110:3, 119:108; Ez. 46:12; Zech. 8:19; Amos 5:5 
Matt. 10:3, 23:8-12; Mark 10:35-45; Lev. 22:25; John 
8:32, 36; Acts 21:13; Rom. 8:21, 12:8; I Cor. 7:21, 22, 
9:1, 17, 10:29; II Cor. 8:11-12, 9:7, 17; Gal. 4:31, 5:1, 
13; Pheleman 14; I Peter 2:19, 5:2; II Peter 2:19, etc. 
(a good Bible reading). These Scriptures enjoin the 
three gospel principles in service — Voluntariness, Will- 
ingness, and Cheerfulness. "Not by constraint but will- 
ingly." "Not of necessity but willingly." "If I do 
willingly I have a reward." "If there first be a willing 
mind." "Thy people shah be willing in the day of thy 
power." "Working in them both to will and to do *of 
thy good pleasure." "I DELIGHT to do thy will, O 
God." "His commandments are not grievous." "If ye 
love me keep my commandments," and "If ye love me 
ye will." 

The coercive power of law is from without, not regard- 
ing the will; the coercive power of the gospel is from 
within working out through the will. What SHOULD I? 
That WOULD I. Train up a child in the way he should 
go, not would go. With the regenerate; developed under 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 175 

the gospel — duty becomes desire. This is seen in Rom. 
15:26-28: "For it hath PLEASED them of Macedonia 
and Achaia, to make a certain contribution for the poor 
saints at Jerusalem. It hath PLEASED them verily. 
For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their 
spiritual things, their DUTY is also to minister to them 
in carnal things." Seeing their duty it pleased them 
verily to make the contribution. So duty became desire. 
Paul says of their contribution in II Cor. 8:1-5: "That 
the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, 
abounded unto riches of their liberality; so they were 
willing of themselves, to go beyond their ability," and 
they begged Paul to receive it. The voluntary principle 
will succeed better with saints than the coercive with 
sinners. 

In the great struggle in Virginia for religious liberty, 
the Baptists contended for this principle in all religious 
matters. The others said religion could not be sustained 
on the voluntary principle, and hence the necessity of 
taxation. But contributions were never so generous 
under the compulsory system as under the Voluntary. 
Of course it takes Papacy or Episcopacy, etc., to compel 
contributions from their unregenerate members, but the 
regenerate, when instructed, cannot endure taxation or 
assessment. They may accept a suggested apportion- 
ment, which is all right, but assessment which destroys 
the voluntary principle, which says, "let a man purpose 
in his own heart, and so give," "willingly, and not grudg- 
ingly," and "not of constraint." Rape and robbery are 
efforts to force, or violate the will, and deserve the 
promptest and severest punishment. The vilest of the 
vile approve of this judgment. 

And yet, in religion, nine-tenths of the professing 
Christian world, whether under Papacy, or Episcopacy, 



176 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

or Presbytery, etc. — which latter, Milton says, is Papacy 
written large — is it not passing strange that men and 
women that can be free, and ought to be free, will choose 
slavery rather? The following oath of allegiance in 
ordination runs thus: "Will you reverently obey your 
chief ministers, unto whom is committed the charge and 
government over you; following with a glad mind and 
will their godly judgments?" The verbatim answer is 
put into the mouth of the poor servile candidate. Who 
made them the chief ministers over them, and gave them 
charge and government over them? ^They made them- 
selves thus, and that in the face of Christ's teaching 
which says to those who were contending for supremacy 
and authority over each other (Mark 10:42-43): "Ye 
know that they which are acccounted to rule over the 
Gentiles exercise lordship over THEM, and their great 
ones exercise authority upon THEM. But it shall not be 
so among YOU." He says: "Ye are all brethren, and 
have but one Master." Paul said: "Be ye not the serv- 
ants of men." In II Cor. 11:20 he pours out his indig- 
nation on these servants of men in religious matters, 
although he urged for a time submission in civil matters 
to those who were bond slaves. He said to the Corin- 
thians who were free: "For ye endure, if a man bring 
you into bondage, if a inan devour you, if a man take 
of you, if a man exalt himself over you, if a man smite 
you on the face." 

The Discipline further enjoins in mandatory form: 
"Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never trifle away 
time. Do not mend OUR rules, but keep them. Act 
in all things, not according to your own will." "It is 
therefore your duty to employ your time in the manner 
WE direct," etc. "Above all things it is needful you 
should do that part of the work which we advise, and 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 177 

at those times and places which we judge." What huge 
conceit! What gigantic bigotry! The Confession of 
Faith is no better. It uses different terms, but they mean 
the same thing. "The Directory" is in mandatory form. 
It tells what the preacher SHALL do, and in a few, very 
few, small matters, it says what he MAY do. And this 
Directory directs in the details of reading, singing, pray- 
ing and burying the dead, telling what MUST be done, 
and what MAY be done. By the grace of God I was 
born free the first time, and by his greater grace I was 
born free the second time — twice born free — doubly free- 
born — and I never expect to be brought under bondage 
to men. When I introduced the Southern Baptist Con- 
vention at Hot Springs, I used some of the language of 
Canaan and not that of Ashdod. Here are a few words. 
I said they, the messengers not delegates, were sent by 
the law of love, and they serve in the law of liberty. 
Not one could be sent by authority, not even of his 
church. 

A brother of another persuasion said to me: "I am 
glad you have been sent back." "Sent," said I; '"am I 
not free? Am I not free indeed?" Who could send me? 
After a long correspondence I despaired of getting clergy- 
men's rates over the Union system of railroads, because 
I could not give the bishop or moderator under whose 
appointment I was laboring at Hot Springs. Will Bap- 
tists never make themselves known? We are to blame 
for most of this. Who gave one man authority to order 
another in the service of Christ? If I should receive 
orders from any man, or body of men, to go anywhere 
or do anything, it would not be my will at all to go to 
that place, or to do that thing though it would be right. 
Who dare get between me and a throne of grace, or to 
supersede the Holy Spirit as my guide? 



178 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

To be more explicit, I said, and to make ourselves 
better known — and I am sure this whole convention will 
endorse this confident spirit of boasting — if this, the 
greatest Convention assembled on the earth, should order 
me to continue in my present field till further orders, I 
would resign next Sunday. This Convention, great in 
numbers and wisdom, is weak in authority, and why? 
Because, he who has all authority never left it to a large 
annual gathering like this, but to a little weekly gather- 
ing like that on the other hill, called his church. 

And again, I added, in order to allay a little appre- 
hension or suspicion among our own brethren, I make 
this further statement, and I am sure it will have the 
hearty, if not the audible, amen of all our Boards: If, 
in your great wisdom, you should suggest plans that my 
little church will approve, we will adopt them, but not 
otherwise. You have the wisdom, and we the authority, 
and, trembling under a sense of that responsibility, we 
seek your wisdom to enable us the better to exercise our 
authority, and that is why we rejoice in your coming. 
ADVISE us in all things, command us in nothing. If 
it is right for the Spirit to contrary the flesh, and right 
to contrary wrong, it would be our duty to be contrary to 
any order that would be contrary to the liberty and 
authority vested in us by the great Head of the church. 

"Let me repeat. These are the messengers of the 
churches sent to serve, not as slaves, but as sons, free 
and willing, doing service from the heart, not unto men, 
not unto men, but unto Christ. A glorious service, in a 
glorious liberty, maintaining a glorious unity, and in this 
is the glory of Christ. And it is our mission in the world 
to make every man as free as ourselves. Those in bond- 
age to men ought to pray for our success." 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 179 



BAPTIST MISSION 



The Baptists have a great mission to their fellow- 
Christians, in delivering them from bondage and service 
to men, to the glorious liberty of the children of God, 
which is their rightful due. This principle of liberty was 
wrought by grace in the heart from the first of its opera- 
tion. Every converted man knows that he did not re- 
pent, and seek, and believe, and love, as conditions of 
salvation. He may have had the idea in his mind, and 
the words in his mouth, but his heart knows better. He 
knows that he was convicted of sin, of righteousness and 
of judgment, and that this conviction brought forth godly 
sorrow and this Godly sorrow worked repentance, and 
he sought God's mercy because there was in his heart 
a hungering and thirsting after God. He knows he' 
believed in Christ bcause of a disposition to confide in 
him. He knows he confessed, and professed, and was 
baptized, and joined the church, and entered Christ's 
service from an inward, impelling and propelling power, 
and that he was made willing all along the way. He 
knows his volition was not violated but converted. He 
knows that he once chose the wrong, but at last he chose 
the right, and desired it, and sought after it, because he 
preferred it. He knows that the good work was begun 
in him, and that he worked out, as God worked in. And 
this same Principle must continue to the day of Jesus 
Christ. The outward service may be correct according 
to the letter, but if the motive or spirit of the service is 
not right, the service is a failure. Only the Voluntary 
is acceptable to God. Here is an extreme case for bond 
slaves under civil law, Eph. 6:5-9: 

"Be obedient to them that are your masters according 
to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of 



180 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

your heart, AS UNTO CHRIST; not with eye service, 
AS MEN-PLEASERS; but as the servants of Christ, 
doing the WILL OF GOD FROM THE HEART; with 
GOOD-WILL doing SERVICE, as to the Lord, and not 
to men: knowing that whatsoever GOOD thing any man 
doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he 
be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things 
unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your 
Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of 
persons with him." 

Even coerced civil bondage must be turned into the 
free, voluntary, heart principle until they could be made 
free. 

This church house was built on the voluntary prin- 
ciple, and this pastor is supported on the same principle, 
and this Sunday School and mission offerings are all on 
the voluntary principle. There was not, and is not, and 
can't be, any human power or authority impelling or 
compelling those who worship in this house. They own 
their house, and can go out of business when they please, 
and none can hinder or make them afraid. We do noth- 
ing to be saved, or to please men. What a peculiar 
people are Baptists! 

On what principle do I pay my debts, and support 
my family? Am I afraid of law? No, I am dead to 
law until I transgress it. The law has no dominion over 
a righteous man. I am not under law — the coercive 
principle of it. The law doesn't make me upright in 
anything. "By the grace of God I am what I am," and 
I am what I am without regard to law. Then why should 
I let a pope, or a set of self-appointed so-called bishops, 
or so-called elders, or any other class of men, presume 
to make laws to govern me. I had rather die a thousand 
deaths than to obey the least of their commandments. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 18i 

In raising money, or compelling service, presbytery is 
not as strong as episcopacy; and episcopacy is not 
as strong as papacy; and papacy is not as strong as 
the pistol. They, are all coercive and sinful alike, and 
are to be resisted to the uttermost of our strength. Even 
Baptists are too coercive in getting people into the 
church, and then in getting money out of their pockets. 
If we are overcome by bulldog collectors, who hold us 
up at the point of their mental pistols, and so give, as to 
regret it, the voluntary principle has been overcome, 
and only harm can follow. I may submit to the coercive 
power of a pistol in order to save my life, but I will 
never submit to the others. But even Baptists have 
dangerously apostatized from this heaven-bought prin- 
ciple committed to their care. The Kingdom of the 
heavens is yet suffering violence, and the violent are yet 
trying to take it by force. And not only so, but Baptists 
are trying to take the world by force, not of carnal 
weapons, but what is the difference? In one generation 
they propose to take the world for Christ. "World-wide 
Conquest for the King." By human force they overcome 
a sinner's will and drag him into the church. By force 
they drag Trunk Baptists, who want to hide out, and 
lie out, and play out, and stay out; they torment them 
till they get them in. Then they try to force the harness 
on, and hitch them up, and compel them to work, and to 
give, and they largely succeed, but it is to the ruin of 
the church, and the eternal ruin of the conscripts. Tell 
them their duty and urge them to do it, and then if they 
prefer the ways of sin and of the world, by all means let 
them have their choice. We are surely living in the age 
of the gospel net, dragging and gathering of every kind, 
but only the good will remain, and the bad will be cast 
into the furnace of fire, where there shall be wailing and 



182 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

gnashing of teeth. Better let them stay out of the net, 
as it will be better for them, for you, and for the net. It 
will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah than for Caper- 
naum and Sidon. 

"If thou mayest be free, use it rather," but leave it 
to them. I am not ashamed of the PRINCIPLE of the 
gospel, Voluntariness, or liberty, and freedom. "Give me 
liberty or give me death." 

A CONCRETE CASE— THE PRINCIPLE 
ILLUSTRATED— INTER-MARRIAGE 

I was once asked to answer the following question: 
"What advice would you give to a husband and wife of 
different faiths?" 

I will try to answer it, as it is a very practical and 
important question. Allow me to suppose one of them 
to be a Baptist, and let my advice be given mainly to 
that one. The question is fraught with delicacies, diffi- 
culties and dangers. I can't hope to give satisfaction, 
but will try as far as I go to give correct answers and 
advice. 

1. Teach your companion on religious Liberty. Each 
one is alike responsible to God for faith and practice. 
Parents can't assume the responsibility of their children, 
much less for each other. They are each as much re- 
sponsible to God as other parents and children, as much 
as unmarried persons, or children without parents. 

2. Never agree to disagree. To disagree is wrong, it 
implies wrong, and you must not agree, consent, or even 
assent to any kind of wrong. Of course you must en- 
dure and tolerate what you can't help, but do your best 
to remedy the wrong, God helping you. The responsi- 
bility of teaching the truth to your companion is yours 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 183 

till death. Is error truth, or less harmful because you 
married it? 

3. Never compromise by agreeing to attend each other's 
services alternately. This will enervate your convictions 
and neutralize your religious influence. If you are a 
Baptist husband, don't try to force your wife in the 
smallest matter in religion; or, if a wife, don't be forced. 
You owe each other social and family duties, but don't 
confound these with the religious. The husband is not 
the head of the wife in religious matters. Respect each 
other's convictions for the sake of convictions and toler- 
ate all differences, but force nothing, yield nothing, com- 
promise nothing. Christ says: "If ye love father, mother, 
husband, wife or children, more than me, ye are not 
worthy of me." He came to divide families when truth 
required it. Give respectful attendance and attention to 
each other's services when convenient; but when duty 
calls, give preference to your own convictions. 

4. Never agree not to talk on differences. That is 
treason against high heaven. Talk and pray that you 
may be of* one mind, >and that the right one. Let your 
investigations be constant, earnest and pleasant, mixed 
always with prayers and tears, for oneness in the truth, 
and faith. 

5. If you are a Baptist husband, don't withhold from 
your wife the right proportion of means for the support 
of her faith. You need not give, but don't withhold it 
from her. That would be intolerance. 

6. What about the children? Each parent is alike the 
head of the children. "Children, obey your parents," 
means both alike. Here is a* delicate and often a dan- 
gerous matter. It ought to be well considered. 

1. You must not think of dividing the children, each 
taking the control of the religious training of one-half 



184 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

the number. Suppose one parent is an idolator. You 
see the principle magnified, but it is the same principle. 
You must not willingly give up your child to any error. 
Both parents must be conscientious. 

2. Never force your children to go any way in religion. 
Moral and social regulations should be enforced, but 
Gospel duties never. While each parent is expected to 
teach the convictions of truth held, yet the children must 
be taught that they are responsible for their own faith 
and practice. Never let the child lose sight of that. 
Especially teach them not to decide doctrinal questions 
by partiality to a parent. Teach them to love truth 
better than they love parents. This will help them to 
carefulness in deciding. If the child go the way you 
think is wrong, neither forbid nor bid Godspeed. Your 
duty up to that time is done after earnest instruction and 
prayer. If he joins the church (?) you don't like, don't 
give him the hand of fellowship. That would be hypoc- 
risy unless you endorse it, in which case you ought to 
follow. If he is baptized (?) the way you think is 
wrong, don't endorse it with your presence. A wrong 
is not right because your child embraces it. But your 
duty in the matter is not ended till death. "If one of 
you err from the truth and one convert him, let him 
know that he who converts the sinner from the error 
of his way," etc. If you fail to divert him from error, 
then convert him. 

If one is a Pedo-Baptist, what about christening the 
childrerf? After doing^your best to prevent it by teach- 
ing and persuasion, the next and only thing is to give to 
it your protest. You can't forbid it without violating 
religious liberty or being intolerant. Throw the whole 
responsibility where it belongs. Of course you must not 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL- 185 

witness it or give it any endorsement. You have till 
death to correct the wrong. 

Lastly, it is a misfortune to marry thus. Perhaps it 
ought never to be done. If agreement can't be reached 
before marriage, there will likely be danger ahead. If 
you value your religious usefulness and happiness, choose 
one of your faith. Not even your wife or child can 
sanctify an error. Error would be the same as in any 
other wife or child. It is safer to esteem any evil or 
error in you or them as worse than in others. Like 
sickness or any evil, it should be regarded more seriously 
at home than abroad. And be sure not to ask her to 
join your church regardless of convictions or without 
convictions. She must not sacrifice her convictions just 
to be with you. 

"Do not err, my beloved brethren" (and sisters). 

One became engaged to wed a woman of another 
faith. It was a serious question and was well considered. 
He told her that if she joined the Baptists because he 
was a Baptist, that he would have no respect for her 
religious convictions or consistency. She was willing to 
go thoroughly over the ground of differences. There 
was not much change for her to make, as she had for 
years been considering the subject. With the spirit of 
truth, which is a desire to know it, regardless of con- 
sequences, the way is open, for the Holy Spirit is pledged 
to guide all such in the way of truth. "If any one wills 
to do God's will he shall know of the doctrine." "Ye 
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," 
not only free from error, but free from sensitiveness and 
intolerance. This is the way to Voluntariness, which is 
the true Principle of the Gospel. Such changes and con- 
versions I am not ashamed of. They are on this Vol- 
untary Principle. 



Chapter XVI 
THE AUTHOR OF THE GOSPEL 

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round 
about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number 
of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of 
thousands ; 

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was 
slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and 
honour, and glory, and blessing. 

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, 
and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are 
in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and 
power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the 
Lamb for ever and ever. 

I am not Ashamed of the Author of the Gospel. A 
library of books has been written on the character of 
Christ. It is "the Gospel of Christ," and also the "Gospel 
of God," as Christ and God are one. This refers to its 
divine authorship, while "the Gospel of the Kingdom" 
refers to its subject matter — "the things pertaining to 
the kingdom of heaven." 

Paul also calls it "my Gospel" and "our Gospel," 
which refers to its human beneficiaries and administra- 
tors. God and Christ are glorified by haying this Gospel 
of the kingdom preached by men. Thus those who be- 
come its beneficiaries, like Paul, make the best wit- 
nesses, because they know whereof they testify. 

Jesus Christ "is the same yesterday, today and unto 
186 



\ 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 187 

the ages." Paul and John got a glimpse of his glory, 
and they fell down as dead. Read their descriptions of 
him. Who of the so-called authors of gospels and salva- 
tions can compare to Him. Who had such a birth? 
Who lived such a life? and who died such a death of 
ignominy and glory? His unspeakable shame- became 
the effulgence of his glory. If he was so much better 
than the angels, how much better was he than Buddha, 
Confucius, Mohammed, the Pope and other rivals? 
Leaving out his Divine character, we will let a wicked 
secular paper speak of his human character, and also 
other worldly wise men. In a Christmas issue a secular 
paper noted for its immoral leaning, said: 

'There is no other character in history like that of Jesus. 

"As preacher, as a doer of things, and as a philosopher, no man 
ever had the sweep and the vision of Jesus. 

"A human analysis of the human actions of Jesus brings to 
view a rule of life that is amazing in its perfect detail. 

"The system of ethics Jesus taught during his earthly sojourn 
two thousand years ago was true then, has been in every century 
since, and will be true forever. 

"Plato was a great thinker and learned in his age, but his 
teachings did not stand the test of time. In big things and in 
little things time and human experience have shown that he 
erred. 

"Marcus Aurelius touched the reflective mind of the world, but 
he was as cold and austere as brown marble. 

"The doctrine of Confucius gave a great nation moral and 
mental dry rot. 

"The teachings of Buddha resulted in mental and moral chaos 
that makes India derelict. 

"Mohammed offered a system of ethics which was adopted by 
millions of people. Now their children live in deserts where once 
there were cities, along dry rivers where once there was moisture, 
and in the shadows of gray, barren hills where once there was 
greenness. 



188 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

"Thomas Aquinas was a profound philosopher, but parts of his 
system have been abandoned. 

"Francis of Assisi was Christlike in his saintliness, but in some 
things he was childish. 

"Thomas a Kempis' 'Imitation of Christ' is a thing of rare 
beauty and sympathy, but it is, as its name indicates, only an 
imitation. 

"Sir Thomas Moore's 'Utopia' is yet a dream that cannot be 
realized. 

"The Greek philosopher's model republic is impossible. 

"Lord Bacon, writing on chemistry and medicine under the 
glasses of the man working in the twentieth century laboratory, 
is childish. 

"The world's most learned doctors until 150 years ago gave 
dragon's blood and the ground dried tails of lizards and shells of 
eggs for certain ailments. The great surgeons a hundred years 
ago bled a man if he were wounded. 

"Napoleon had the world at his feet for four years, and when 
he died the world was going on its way as if he had never lived. 

"Jesus taught little as to property, because he knew there were 
things of more importance than property. He measured property 
and life, the body and soul, at their exact relative value. He 
taught much as to character, because character is of more impor- 
tance than dollars. 

"Other men taught so as to develop systems of government. 
Jesus taught so as to perfect the minds of men. Jesus looked to 
the soul, while other men dwelled on material things. 

"After the experience of two thousand years no man can find a 
flaw in the governmental system as outlined by Jesus. 

"Czar and kaiser, president and socialist give to its complete 
merit their admiration. 

"No man today, no matter whether he follows the doctrine of 
Mills, Marx or, George as to property, can find a false principle 
in Jesus' theory of property. 

"In the duty of a man to his fellows no sociologist has ever 
approximated the perfection of the doctrine laid down by Jesus 
in his Sermon on the Mount. 

"Not all the investigations of chemists, not all the discoveries 
of explorers, not all the experiences of rulers, not all the historical 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL . 189 

facts that go to make up the sum of human knowledge on this 
day of 1913 are in contradiction to one word uttered or one 
principle laid down by Jesus. 

"The human experiences of two thousand }^ears show that Jesus 
never made a mistake. Jesus never uttered a doctrine that was 
true at the time and then became obsolete. 

"Jesus spoke the truth; he lived the truth, and truth is eternal. 

"History has no record of any other man leading a perfect life 
or doing everything in logical order. Jesus is the only person 
whose every action and whose every utterance strike a true note 
in the heart and mind of every man born of a woman. He never 
said a foolish thing, never did a foolish act and never dissembled. 

"No poet, no dreamer, no philosopher, loved humanity with 
the love that Jesus bore toward all men. 

"Jesus must have been what Christendom proclaims him to be — 
a divine being — or he could not have been merely a man, for 
there never was a man who had two consecutive thoughts abso- 
lute in truthful perfection. 

"Who, then, was Jesus? 

"Jesus must have been what Christendom proclaims him to be — 
a divine being — or he could not have been what he was. No 
mind but an infinite mind could have left behind those things 
which Jesus gave to the world as a heritage. 

"Imagine Jesus gathering all the sorrows of this world under 
his right arm and all the sins of this world under his left arm. 
and with this tremendous load marching, triumphantly to the 
Judgment Bar, saying : 'Father, I will heal all these sorrows under 
my right arm; I will atone for all these sins under my left arm. 
Strike me, thou glittering shafts of Eternal Justice! Roll over 
me, thou majestic waves of human sorrow!' and there in the 
presence of earth, heaven and hell, Jesus paid the great price. 
the awful price, the transcendent price, the infinite price, the 
eternal price which cleanses our lives from sin and saves our 
souls from hell." 

The greatest infidels of the past and of today have 
expressed their convictions as strongly as the few here 
given. Such as The Author of Supernatural Religion; 
Renan; John Stuart Mill; Matthew Arnold; David Fred- 



190 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

erick Straus; Voltaire said: "He remains the highest 
model of religion within the reach of our thought." 

Looking at the history and character of Jesus, Napo- 
leon Bonaparte might well say: "I know men and I tell 
you that Jesus Christ is not a man. Superficial minds 
see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of 
empires and the gods of other religions. The resemblance 
does not exist. There is between Christianity and what- 
ever other religions the distance of infinity. * * * 
Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and myself founded 
empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our 
genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ alone founded his 
empire upon love, and at this hour millions of men would 
die for him." 

Jesus is the center of history, as Renan concedes, and 
He is the one theme of Scripture. All the rites and 
ceremonies and sacrifices of old pointed their shadow 
forward through the centuries to the great sacri- 
fice on the world's one altar, Calvary. History is given 
us in the Bible only as it shows forth Jesus. Events are 
not narrated because they are important or interesting of 
themselves, but only as they show forth Jesus. The 
same is true of prophecy. 

Then how shall we account for Christ? 

From a standpoint of education he never was in an 
academy; he never was in a college, he never sat at the 
feet of the philosophers of Greece or Rome. He never 
studied in the presence of the dreamy philosophers of the 
Orient and yet how came him to be so broad if he was 
only a man? If from any of those things we could 
account for Jesus Christ, then why has not the world 
in her great advancement of learning and discov- 
eries and inventions given us many Christs? I want 
to say that no man can explain the humanity of Jesus 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 191 

Christ who denies his divinity from the standpoint of 
man. In prophesy hundreds of years before his advent 
into the world, men prophesied of the coming Christ. 
They told of how he would be born, the life he would 
live, how he would suffer and die and how he would rise 
from the dead. Eye witnesses, reputable men, verify 
those statements and tell us how he was born, how he 
lived, suffered and died and rose from the dead. The 
facts correspond exactly. 

What think ye of Christ? 

The following magnifies His Grace: Dr. Benjamin 
Grosvenor delivered in Crosby Hall, London, one of the 
most touching discourses ever composed on The Temper 
of Christ. The Savior is introduced by way of illustrat- 
ing his own command, that repentance and remission of 
sins should be preached to all nations, BEGINNING 
AT JERUSALEM, as giving the apostles directions how 
they are to proceed in carrying out this message. 

"Go into all nations and offer this salvation as you go: 
but lest the poor house of Israel should think themselves 
abandoned to despair, the seed of Abraham, mine ancient 
friend, as cruel and unkind as they have been, go, make 
them the first offer of grace: let them that struck the 
rock, drink first its refreshing streams, and they that 
drew my blood, be welcome to its healing virtue. Tell 
them that as I was sent to the lost sheep of the house of 
Israel, so, if they will be gathered, I will be* their shep- 
herd still. Though they despised my tears which I shed 
over them, and imprecated my blood to be upon them, 
tell them 'twas for their sakes I shed both, that by my 
tears I might soften their hearts towards God, and by my 
blood I might reconcile God to them. Tell them you 
have seen the prints of the nails upon my hands and feet, 
and the wounds of the spear in my side, and that those 



192 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

marks of their cruelty are so far from giving me vindic- 
tive thoughts, that, if they will but repent, every wound 
they have given me speaks in their behalf, pleads with 
the Father for the remission of their sins, and enables 
me to bestow it. Nay, if you meet that poor wretch 
that thrust the spear into my side, tell him there is 
another way, a better way, of coming at my heart. 
If he will repent, and look upon him whom he has pierced 
and will mourn, I will cherish him in that very bosom he 
has wounded: he shall find the blood he shed an ample 
atonement for the sin of shedding it. And tell him from 
me, he will put me to more pain and displeasure by 
refusing this offer of my blood than when he first drew 
it forth." 

Such Grace! Such wonderful Grace! I am not 
ashamed of such a gracious Author of the Gospel. He 
is more than gracious Author, he is the Author of Grace. 

President H. E. Watters, in: "THE BIBLE OF 
SUPERHUMAN ORIGIN," puts it thus: The Bible 
claims to be the word of God. Its writers claim to have 
been moved by His inspiring power. The religion of the 
Bible purports to be from heaven, and Jesus is asserted 
to be the Son of God. To establish any one of these 
claims is to establish the Bible. Fortunately they are 
susceptible of proof by legal testimony. In this connec- 
tion we will establish the claims of Jesus. There are 
many ways of proving that Jesus is divine, but let us 
introduce a few witnesses. He claimed to be divine and 
all of His life and work is based upon that hypothesis. 
If He did the wonderful things recorded of Him, He was 
more than human, which is to say divine. Did the blind 
see at His touch, did the deaf hear at His word and the 
lame walk at His command? Did the dead hear His 
voice, and the wind and waves obey Him? Did He die 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 193 

for His enemies, and rise again and go to heaven? If so, 
He was God. But many witnesses testify that these 
things were done, and no contemporaneous writer denies 
it. The disciples bure the most positive testimony to 
their knowledge of these facts. They bore united testi- 
mony and proved their sincerity with their blood and 
lives. That they were good men their enemies have not 
doubted; that they were intelligent, even brainy men, 
cannot be questioned. All admit that they had ample 
opportunity to inform themselves, and, since they could 
have had no motive for misrepresentation, they have all 
the qualifications of perfect witnesses and their evidence 
cannot be impeached and must stand before any tribunal. 
Let eleven good, honest, intelligent men testify even to 
death, that they saw and heard certain things, and can 
any man doubt it, especially when there is no evidence 
to the contrary? Would you risk your life with any 
two of these witnesses testifying that they saw you 
commit murder, if you have no direct evidence in your 
favor? But to the evidence of the eleven add that of 
all the other friends of Jesus, the Roman historians, 
Josephus, and other writers of the time, which, together 
with the fact that no writer of that date contradicts 
them, establishes the word and works of Jesus as but few 
things can be established by testimony. 

But put the witnesses upon the stand and let them 
speak. Call His enemies, if they know any evil in Him 
they will tell it. Let the Pharisees speak. They pro- 
fessed great righteousness and a keen perception of evil. 
They hated Him and will tell all the evil they know. 
Hear them: "This man receiveth sinners"! Does not 
your heart rejoice? Then He receives us. 

Put Pilate on the stand. Pilate, you sat in judgment 
upon Jesus; you heard the evidence; you condemned 



194 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

Him to death. Now, in the light of the evidence, give 
the world your verdict. Hear him, all ye who would 
condemn the Son of God, as he says: "I find no fault 
in Him." 

Let the thieves speak. Perhaps among the criminal 
classes they have heard something against Him. But 
they say: "This man hath done nothing amiss." 

Put the centurion who crucified Him upon the stand 
and hear him say: "Truly this was the Son of God." 

Judas, we know that there is nothing of a public nature 
against Jesus, but you know His secret life. You were 
with Him as a friend day and night. You are con- 
demned for betraying Him, now justify yourself before 
the world by exposing Him. But Judas says: "I have 
betrayed innocent blood." 

Imps of the infernal region, you know what man can- 
not know. You are enemies of Jesus. You have de- 
stroyed all of His influence you could. What have you 
to say against Jesus to justify your course? Hear them 
cry out: "Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God." 

Now, since no enemy can give evidence against Jesus, 
let his friends testify, that we know assuredly who 
He was. 

Matthew, Mark and Luke, what do you say of Him? 
And with one accord they say He was the Son of God. 
Thomas, you were not so credulous as the other disciples. 
You required full evidence, and T rejoice that you did. 
Now, after feeling the nailprints in His hands and 
thrusting your hand into His side, what do you say? 
Thomas embraces the Master and says: "My Lord and 
my God." Peter, you once denied Him; now, after His 
resurrection, and after you have had time to reflect, 
what do you say of Jesus? Hear him before a mighty 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 195 

multitude: "God hath raised up Jesus and made Him 
both Lord and Christ." 

John, the beloved, you got a little closer to Jesus than 
the other disciples. You understood, perhaps better than 
any other, His inner life. The heavens opened for you. 
You heard the music of Paradise and the voices of the 
saints and the angels. You saw what has been, what 
now is and what is to be. Was Jesus known in heaven? 
Is there any record of Him there? And John, fresh 
from the courts of glory, answers: "I saw Him as a lamb 
slain from before the foundation of the world. I saw 
Him sitting at the right hand of the Father, clothed with 
honor and power." 

Angels, ye ministering spirits of glory, is Jesus known 
to you? Hear them on that memorable night, as their 
white wings cleaved the sky, and their heavenly voices 
sang: "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a 
Savior, which is Christ the Lord. Glory to God in the 
highest, and on the earth peace, good- will toward men." 

Omnipotent Jehovah, Jesus claimed to be thy Son. 
Speak that the inhabitants of the earth may know, is 
Jesus known to Thee? Hear His voice as it thunders 
from heaven on two occasions: "This is my beloved Son, 
in whom I am well pleased." 

Jesus promised to be with His believers unto the end. 
He promised to give them peace, joy and "the Holy 
Spirit. Is He true? Is He able to keep His word? 
Have His promises been fulfilled? Let His sainted fol- 
lowers answer. Hear Paul and Silas sing in the prison 
at midnight. Receive the blood sealed testimony of one 
hundred million martyrs. Hear the shout of a billion 
new-born souls. Go ask mother, whose face is wreathed 
with the joys of a thousand blessings from trusting 
Jesus, and then never doubt His power again. Aye, go 



196 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

gather the witnesses together. Bring the prophets, the 
saints and the martyrs; gather the saints on the earth, 
and those who have died in the Lord. Let them gather 
by hundreds, by thousands, by millions and billions, until 
no eye can see the outer limits; then let the angels and 
the elders join in the mighty shout of testimony before 
the throne: "Halleluiah, glory and honor and power be 
unto God and the L,amb forever and ever, amen." 
Rev. 5: 

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round 
about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number 
of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of 
thousands ; 

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was 
slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and 
honour, and glory, and blessing. 

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, 
and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are 
in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and 
power, be unto him, that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the 
Lamb for ever and ever. 

For a further exaltation of his character, see my tract, 
The Fivefold Commission, pp. 8-14. 

Then surely, if it is possible to establish anything by 
testimony, we have established the fact that Jesus is the 
Son of God, and that He is a true witness. He testified 
to the truth and authority of the Old Testament and both 
the Old and New testify of Him. 

There was no fault in him. 



Chapter XVII 
THE DEFINITION OF THE GOSPEL 

This may tax the faith of the strongest, yet who is as 
strong as he should be? NOT I. 

I Am Not Ashamed of the Definition of the Gospel 

Our judgment is largely formed from the definitions 
of terms, many of which are wrongly defined. Hence 
the importance of getting the Definition of the Gospel 
right. The other terms of the gospel, as shown before, 
having been so corrupted in definition, of course the defi- 
nition of the Gospel itself has not been spared. Let us 
get some of these false definitions as rubbish out of the 
way, and thus prepare for the Scriptural definition, which 
I fear will appear so glorious that many even of the 
strong will want a veil cast over their own eyes by 
reason of its excellent glory. Take heed how you read. 

When the Israelites were bitten of the fiery flying 
serpents they were directed, and exhorted by words to 
look to the serpent on the pole, and when they looked 
they lived. The power to heal was not in the words 
spoken, nor in the look, but in the object looked to. Of 
course, the look implied a renunciation of all other rem- 
edies, and a reliance on the one God had provided in this 
type. They did not understand it, they could not under- 
stand it, and hence they need not understand it, for that 
would be walking by reason or sight, and would not have 
required faith. Nor was the power in the serpent lifted 
up per se, but in the antitype which was Christ's death 

197 



198 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

on the cross, of which the serpent was the type, and to 
which it mysteriously pointed, as did all the sacrifices. 
a The power of the gospel which is unto salvation to ali 
who believe," is in the cross, as we saw it thus specially 
defined. Christ crucified is the power of God and the 
wisdom of God. I Cor. 1 : 24. ^As looking to the serpent 
"lifted up" healed the body, so looking to Christ lifted 
up, heals the sin bitten soul. There was power in the 
truth of prophecy that directed the soul to the cross, but 
the power to save was not in the truth of prophecy, but 
in the object prophesied of. We have the word of 
inspired history, pointing back to the cross, but the 
power to save, is not in the inspired word, but in the 
cross. 

Peter told the Gentile house, "Words whereby they 
could be saved," but the power to save was not in the 
words, but in that to which the words directed. The 
doctor's prescriptions are words whereby you may be 
healed, but the power is not in the words, but in that 
to which the words direct. The words had power to 
direct to the remedy, and that is all the power the words 
contain; the power to heal is in the remedy. Of course 
the remedy must be appropriated, but the power is still 
in the remedy, and not in the words spoken, or written 
nor yet in the act of appropriating, nor in all combined, 
but solely in the remedy. So, "the word of the gospel" 
has no power to save, but only to direct to salvation on 
the cross. We must believe the word, and faith must 
appropriate, but the power to save is not in either or 
both, but only in the cross. By figure of speech the 
word and faith may be said to save instrumentally, but 
not really. Paul saved some of all classes, but only 
instrumentally as God used him. So, by figure of speech, 
the four gospels are each called "the Gospel according 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 199 

to Matthew," Mark, Luke, and John, respectively. But 
these are the gospel in "word only," and believing every 
word they wrote would not save the soul, because, if 
there could be salvation in words only, then Christ need 
not have died. Why does it not read the gospel accord- 
ing to Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, 
Collossians, etc.? Why this difference between the first 
four and the other epistles? Because the first four set 
out to prove that the Christ died on the Cross, was 
buried, and rose again the third day, and all leading up 
to that, was to prove that he was, in deed and in truth, 
the very Christ who should come into the world for that 
purpose. The first four show what Christ did, the others 
show what Christ commanded, and taught. The first 
four lead mainly up to the cross for salvation, and to 
the open tomb for justification; the others lead the saved 
mainly from the cross, to, and through a life of servicer 
Some define the gospel as good news, but it is not news, 
but the oldest thing in the universe, as shown elsewhere. 
It being news to some, does not make it news in any 
sense that can be applied to the Definition. The Greek 
is composed of two words which mean Good Message. If 
that is the meaning, then I am not ashamed of the 
Definition, provided there is no fault in the message. 
The message must be without fault, or imperfection. It 
must be as good as God can make it, as we have seen 
of all the other items of the gospel. The TRUTH of 
the gospel is from everlasting to everlasting, first point- 
ing forward from everlasting, and then pointing back- 
ward from everlasting; but the FACT of the gospel 
is once for all. "He did not offer .himself often, but once 
for all." "By the which we are sanctified through the 
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all;" "for 
by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are 



200 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

sanctified." "Once for all he appeared to put away sin 
by the sacrifice of himself." On the cross he said: "It is 
finished." 

Arminians boast, that the death of Christ did not make 
the salvation of a single one certain, but only made it 
possible for all. On this they proceed to invent their 
"Remedial Scheme of Salvation," which they define 
thus: The gospel provides and reveals Remedies for 
man's ruined state, and it is left with man to appropriate 
the remedies. That is as deep as a natural man can 
see. If this were all, then the reasonable and scriptural 
conclusion would be, that if left with man, in his de- 
praved and dead state; yea, in his state of enmity to 
God, being led captive by Satan at his will, that he 
would never see his need, and hence would never choose 
or use the Remedies ; then the boasted "possible for all," 
would become probable for none; yea, the probability 
would become less than the least of all possibilities. 
What an awful blunder God would have made to sacri- 
fice his Son for the chance of such an empty, enervated, 
emaciated and emasculated probability. This would give 
Satan all the advantage, for if he could get one, he could 
and would get all; so if Christ get any, it would be such 
as Satan did not want. So that, if salvation were pos- 
sible for any, it would not be by the grace of God, 
but by the disgrace of the devil — or only such as the 
devil did not want. I would be ashamed of such a set — 
not the elect of God, but the non-elect of the devil — 
those he rejected and did not want — the devil's repro- 
bates. I don't believe in the Remedial Scheme of salva- 
tion, no, not a little. But I do believe in remedies, for 
they are important in their place. Remedies must have 
something to operate on, and build to. They can't create. 
There is no remedy for blindness, deafness, and death. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 20. 

When the eye, ear and body die, the doctor departs, 
because he has no remedies for death and dead things. 
These have all been overcome by the power of God, 
but never by remedies. Life from the dead spiritually, 
and resurrection from the grave physically, are not the 
results of remedies. Christ had power on earth to for- 
give sins, but remedies can't cleanse a man from sin. Re- 
generation is not the product of remedies, for "of his own 
will begat He us with a word of truth." "Born of the 
will of God," and "power of God" and not of remedies. 
The lowest down conception the mind of man can 
reach for a Definition of the Gospel is the one most 
popular. There are several kindred ones that may be 
summed up in the following statement: The gospel of 
salvation, say many, consists of a new proclamation, of 
new terms, or propositions, or conditions, for man to 
accept, and comply with, and in consideration of such 
acceptance and compliance by man, God promises to 
regenerate, pardon, justify and save. Some are willing 
for the dead hostile sinner to be helped a little, provided 
he is earnest, but many cut out all divine power to help 
human infirmities, because such help, they say, would 
infringe on free agency. The devil knew that would 
prove a complete failure for the gospel, so he put it into 
the mind and heart of men to zealously proclaim such 
stuff. With all Tie disabilities and impossibilities which 
the Scriptures predicate of depraved human nature, I 
don't see how such proclamations could be called Good 
News or Good Message, or good anything else, as no 
great good could come out of them, but only deception 
and eternal destruction. If left to themselves men would 
never choose that which is spiritual, for by nature he has 
not, and cannot have even spiritual discernment. Our 
definition of the gospel must harmonize with all the 



202 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

words, commands and ordinances of the gospel. The 
above harmonized with none, but conflicts with all. 

The good thing about the gospel is, that it was 
"finished," that it is "sure," and that there are no uncer- 
tainties about it; for the uncertainties would be imper- 
fections, of which we all should be ashamed. 

I glory in the SURETIES of the gospel. What a con- 
trast to a world full of uncertainties. The inheritance 
which is at the end of the age is "made sure to all the 
seed," and the seed was made sure by the everlasting 
covenant, the sure mercies of David, who in the covenant 
was the type of Christ. It was Christ's boast "that all 
the Father had given to him, should come to him, and 
would in nowise be cast out." Of those prospective 
sheep not then in the fold he said, "I must bring them, 
and they shall hear my voice, and shall follow me, and 
I will give unto them eternal life, and they shall never 
perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of the 
united hands of me and my Father." In that agonizing 
prayer in John 17: 2 he boasted of the authority the 
Father had given him over all flesh, so he could give 
eternal life to as many as the Father had given him. 
Peter said, "the promise was to us and as many as the 
Lord our God should call. Paul said, "as many as were 
ordained to eternal life believed." James said that "God 
did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for 
his name." Then spake the Lord to Paul: "Be not 
afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace ; for I am with 
thee, and no man shall sit on thee to hurt thee, for I 
have much people in this city." 

Paul said: "For as by one man's disobedience many 
were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many 
be made righteous." He says again, "And we know that 
all things work together for good to them that love God, 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 203 

to them who are the called according to his purpose; for 
whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate" — to final 
glory. He says again "that God makes known the riches 
of his glory on the vessels of mercy which He had 
before prepared unto glory." That God reserves to him- 
self a remnant, "according to the election of grace, and 
if of grace, then no more of works, else grace is no more 
grace." He says again that "we are blessed with all 
spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus, according as he hath 
chosen us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of a 
world, that we should be holy, and without blame before 
him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption 
of children, by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the 
good pleasure of his will; to the praise of his glorious 
grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved ; 
in whom we have redemption, forgiveness, etc., accord- 
ing to the riches of his grace." 

Any Definition of the Gospel that does not harmonize 
with these, and with all other sureties and certainties, is 
imperfect, of which I would be ashamed even of their 
mention. 

He says again: "Ye are complete in him in whom 
dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily," "who 
is the head of all principalities and power," "for it 
pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." 
And again, "We are bound to thank God .always for you 
brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from 
the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctifi- 
cation of the spirit, and belief of the truth; whereunto 
he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the 
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore stand fast," 
etc. "We are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, 
unto the day of redemption," "of the purchased posses- 
sion, unto the praise of his glory." 



204 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

And mark this one: "Who hath saved us, and called 
us with a holy calling, not according to our works but 
according to his own purpose and grace, which was. given 
us in Christ Jesus before the ages begun." "In hope of 
eternal life, wh'ch God, who cannot lie, promised before 
the times of ages." In Heb. 1: 3 we read that Jesus 
Christ, upholding all things with the word of his power, 
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on 
the right hand of the Majesty on high. 

There was something finished on the cross, viz., the 
purging or putting away of our sins once for all. That 
belongs to the Definition of the Gospel, that we must 
preach as once for all and finished. Read especially 
Heb. 9: 14, 24-28, and 10: 4-18. Here is a part of it: 

"But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again 
made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the 
blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Where- 
fore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice 
and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou pre- 
pared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou 
hast had no pleasure." 

"Then said he, "Lo, I come to do thy will, God. 
He taketh away the first, that he may establish the 
second. By the which will we are sanctified through 
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 
And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering 
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take 
away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacri- 
fice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 
from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his 
footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for- 
ever them that are sanctified." 

Here is a finished work, not only in making a sacrifice 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 205 

for sins, but in that sacrifice, sins were forever put away, 
so that, "blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not 
impute sin." Seal this with another. Heb. 9: 25. 

"Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high 
priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood 
of others; for then must he often have suffered since the 
foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the 
age hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of 
himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, 
but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered 
to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for 
him shall he appear the second time without sin unto 
salvation." 

His blood was not shed in vain. It paid the price and 
the purchase was made as sure as God could make it. 
So he said at the supper, Matt. 1: 28: "This is my blood 
of the new covenant, which is shed for MANY for the 
remission of sins." In Luke 22: 20 he says "shed for 
YOU." 

He did not die in vain. He saw of the travail of his 
soul, and was satisfied. How clear is this in Isaiah 53: 

"Surely he hath borne OUR griefs, and carried OUR 
sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of 
God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for OUR trans- 
gressions, he was bruised for OUR iniquities: the chas- 
tisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes 
WE are healed. ... It pleased the Lord to bruise 
him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make 
his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall 
prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall 
prosper in his hand. He shall see the travail of his soul, 
and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my right- 
eous servant justify many; for he shall bear THEIR 
iniquities." 



206 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

It was a finished work. He saw his seed, he knew 
them that are his, and for these he gave his life, and 
purchased their redemption, and called them by his 
gospel, and justified them by his grace, and finally glorify 
them with himself. And while he is in heaven, "he ever 
liveth to make intercession for them." But you ask, 
Does he intercede for his saints when they go wrong? 
"0 fools, and slow of heart to believe." Is God a 
monster that Christ must intercede for those who do 
right? "If any sin, we have an advocate with the 
Father." 

I Cor. 5: 21: "For he hath made him to be sin for US, 
who knew no sin; that WE might be made the righteous- 
ness of God in him." 

Christ died for all in some sense. That is, he tasted 
death for every man, and by as much as is meant in 
tasting death, by that much are all benefited. Taste 
always means to partake lightly of. I have often tasted 
death, but I have not yet died, which will involve a great 
deal more. By tasting death for every man he made 
propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and to the 
extent of the meaning of propitiation, to that extent the 
whole world is benefited. I would not minify "taste" or 
"propitiation" in the least, but I would greatly magnify 
both, for much more is involved in both than has ever 
been conceived. But tasting death is far short of dying, 
and propitiation is far short of salvation and justifica- 
tion. In whatever sense Christ died for all sinners, and 
in some sense he did, he did not become a substitute for 
all, so as to die vicariously — that is, in their place, for if 
so, and all are not released from that penalty, then 
Christ died in vain. 

The purpose of Christ's death may be seen from the 
Results, as he accomplished his purpose in dying. The 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 207 

result will not be the salvation of all men, hence that 
was not in the purpose. God had prepared a hell, and 
he foresaw that all would not be saved. Christ's death 
did not make possible the salvation of the billions already 
in hades when he died. Nor did his death make salva- 
tion possible to the thousands who died in Samaria, 
Bithynia, Asia, and the rest of the world, from which he 
by the Holy Spirit forbade for the time the preaching 
of the gospel. Nine-tenths of this wicked world have 
died with no opportunity or disposition to hear the 
gospel. Did Christ's death make their salvation pos- 
sible? By no means. And yet they were unspeakably 
blessed by his death. Christ took away the sin of the 
world, but not the sins of the whole world. The true 
light that lighteneth every man came into the world, 
but that does not save them. He is also the providen- 
tial Savior of all men. This is a fruit of propitiation. 
His goodness. leads men to repentance, but not all men. 
He taketh no pleasure in the death of any, yet has pur- 
posed the damnation of the impenitent, already under 
condemnation. 

Now for a few more passages that connect purpose 
and results — passages not yet quoted: 

Gal. 1: 4: "Who gave himself for OUR sins, that he 
might deliver US from this present evil world according 
to the will of God." 

The result comes out of the purpose. This will of 
God we have noticed in John 6: 37-40; 10: 15; 17: 2ff; 
Heb. 15: 5-18, etc. Another passage connecting results 
with purpose is Eph. 2: 4-7 — in brief, saved us by grace, 
that in the ages to come he might show, etc. A failure 
of results would show a failure of purpose in salvation. 

Again, I Thes. 5: 10: "For God hath not appointed 



208 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

us unto wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus 
Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, 
we should live together with him." 

If he died for all vicariously, or as their substitute, 
and fail of results, then the substitute and death were 
both failures. I thank God for the unspeakable bless- 
ings that come to the non-elect through propitiation, 
which defers the wrath of God to the last day, and which 
may be called temporal salvation, and from wrath to 
come, till it comes. 

But especially would I thank God for the eternal sal- 
vation that comes to the elect through substitution. 
This entitles him to the name Jesus. Matt, 1: 21: "Thou 
shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save HIS PEOPLE 
from their sins." "In this is manifested the love of God 
toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son 
into the world that we might live through him. Herein 
is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and 
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." John 
4: 9, 10. He is the propitiation for our sins after con- 
version, in the same sense in which he is the propitiation 
for the sins of the whole world. Indeed it seems to me 
that it takes more grace to preserve a saint than it does 
to save a sinner. The sins of saints are so aggravating! 
enough, it seems to me, to overmatch the forbearance 
and grace of God, so that the saints need not only propi- 
tiation from the cross as the whole world did, but they 
need also an advocate at the right hand of God who will 
ever live to intercede for them. They need a continued 
atonement and high priest officiating in heaven at all 
times for their aggravating sins. Of course the so-called, 
but miscalled Sanctified, need no advocate, or high priest, 
or intercession or repentance or forgiveness, as they have 
no sins. Romans 5: 8-11 connects the death of Christ 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 209 

with final results, with indissoluble chords that cannot 
be broken. "If while we were sinners Christ died for 
us, much more, being now. justified by his blood, shall 
we be saved from wrath through him." And then 
another much more — how much more! — infinitely 
much more! "For if when we were enemies we were 
reconciled to God by the death of his Sin, much more 
being reconciled shall we be saved by his life." As 
much more as friendship is better than enmity, and as 
much more as life is better and stronger than death, 
then by that double "much more" will be the results of 
the purpose. And if the results do not include all, then 
the purpose did not include all. Christ loved the church, 
gave himself for it, that he might present it to himself 
a glorious church, not having spot or blemish or any 
such thing. The purpose shows the result, and the result 
shows the purpose. Then he did not give himself for 
all, but for his church, whose names were written in 
heaven from before the foundation of a world." "By his 
own blood he entered once into the holy place, having 
obtained eternal redemption for us." "When he had 
purged our sins he sat down on the right hand of the 
Majesty on high." His sitting down showed the work 
was done, and on the right hand showed the acceptance 
of the w T ork by the Majesty on high. 

As Aaron, the high priest, had on his breast plate the 
names of those he made offering and atonement for, so 
our High Priest represented those that are his. "The 
children of the flesh are not the children of God, but the 
children of the promise are counted for the seed." "Now 
we brethren, as Isaac w T as, are the children of promise," 
and were born as Isaac was. That is, born spiritually as 
Isaac was naturally— by PROMISE. Gen. 17: 15-19 
and 18: 9-14. 



210 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

If redemption redeems, it is because he paid the price 
that infinite justice must demand. If he redeemed all, 
then infinite justice is satisfied. Then whom did he 
redeem? "He gave his life a ransom for MANY." 
"Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in 
your body and in your spirit which are his." Not do 
this in order to be bought, but because ye are bought. 
"Feed the church of God which he has purchased with 
his own blood." The church of God is not all the world, 
but the called out ones from the world, and then they 
are no longer of the world. Christ said in his interces- 
sory prayer, "I pray not for the world, but for them 
thou hast given me, for they are thine, and all mine are 
thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them." 
"Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from 
all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people 
zealous of good works." He will say at last, "Behold I, 
and the children which God hath given me." 

Well, you say, if Christ finished all that was necessary 
for our salvation, then what is there left for us to do. 
Answer: "Much every way." This great salvation, with 
all the accompanying blessings, are provided as a great 
feast, and we are sent out to invite the guests to come 
and partake of what is laid up for them, and ready. 
The gospel message calls them to this finished work. 
Certain ones will hear and heed, and come, while the 
'many will decline of their own choice. Paul puts it this 
way, II Tim. 2: 10, 11: 

"Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, 
that they may also obtain the salvation which is in 
Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 

"It is a faithful saying: For if we died with him, we 
shall also live with him." 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 211 

Let all who are interested give diligence to make their 
calling and election sure, and in so doing, and with such 
assurance, they will never fall. What is left for us is all 
we can do, and in which we fall short beyond forbearance. 
All sinners are under law, moral, social, natural, civil, 
mental, etc., and when judged by these, they will get 
all their deserts for both good and evil. There is no 
mercy for devils, much mercy for sinners, and much more 
mercy for saints. 

"What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make 
his power known, endured with much longsuffering the 
vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:" 

"And that he might make known the riches of his glory 
on the vessels of mercy, which HE had afore prepared 
unto glory." 

"Even us, whom HE hath called, not of the Jews only, 
but also of the Gentiles?" 

Application: I am not ashamed of the definition of 
the Gospel, because it reveals accomplished facts, made 
sure, and steadfast, as to results. The gospel, in its first 
principles, is to be preached without discrimination on 
our part, to all creation. As many as we can reach must 
be called. Election, and all else on the divine side, 
belongs to God. Bring all you can, as though all de- 
pended on you, through repentance to faith in Christ the 
crucified. That is the power of God unto salvation to 
all who believe. When they have learned experimentally 
of salvation by faith, then teach them the other rudi- 
ments, or first principles. But don't stop there, but go 
on unto perfection. Teach, teach, teach, on and forever. 
Launch out into the deep. Don't stop at ankle deep, or 
knee deep, or thigh deep, or breast deep, or chin deep, 
but teach them to swim and dive and seine for large 
draughts of fishes, so that the net will be in danger of. 



212 THE PERFECT GOSPEL 

breaking. Out there, and down deep, are these doc- 
trines, 153 of them. Go on, to fully know, even as we 
are fully known. All things, whatsoever Christ has com- 
manded, must be learned and taught, and kept safely. 
There are some scriptures hard to harmonize with 
these, but they must be harmonized. There are some 
scriptures by mistranslation and interpretation seem to 
teach universalism, but they don't teach it. Some thus 
are made to teach Arminianism, but they don't teach it. 
What is more delightful to the sanctified soul, than the 
hard work of fitting these scriptures together. If there 
were no seeming contradictions, no paradoxes, we might 
not have enough to do, to employ us always and forever. 
It is fine employment to make crooked things straight, 
and rough places smooth; to bring light out of darkness, 
and life out of death. Let us bring all the new and old 
things we can out of the divine treasury, and then there 
will be a large and inexhaustible stock left for our suc- 
cessors. Let preachers and teachers get all they can out 
of the schools, and then make graduating day, com- 
mencement day. Let us go on to perfection, ever learn- 
ing, and ever coming to a knowledge of the truth. Those 
who graduate and quit, don't quit themselves like men, 
but like babies. Lest some may think this is too strong 
for Baptist doctrine, I beg to refer to a part of my 
address to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 
in the presence of about 300 Baptist preachers, including 
the professors, and some others, conspicuous among 
whom was Dr. T. T. Eaton. The address, by unanimous 
vote, was requested for publication in tract form. I refer 
to pp. 13-15. In substance this. No man holds to the 
Divine side too strongly, nor perhaps to the human 
side too strongly, but should hold both sides strongly. 
Both sides are necessary as Qqd. has arranged them. 



THE PERFECT GOSPEL 213 

Either side that nullifies the other side nullifies itself, 
and is fatal. The man that believes that salvation is by 
grace, but not through faith, can't be saved because he 
did not get salvation that way, and that is the only way. 
Nor can that Arminian faith save that robs or neutral- 
izes grace. Let us not detract aught from grace or faith 
which comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of 
God; and how can they hear without a preacher, and 
how can they preach except they be sent? I am as 
predestinarian as a Presbyterian, and as Arminian as a 
Methodist, but either system without the oth,er is dead. 
being alone. The scriptures mention "Grace in vain," 
but what is deader than dead faith and dead works. 

So define the gospel rightly, we must include all that 
is revealed on both the divine and human sides, and 
these rightly related. The Divine side is the procuring 
and propelling cause, and the human side, the unfailing 
results, so unfailing, that so far as the subjects of gospel 
address are concerned, we can positively say of them: 
"Except they repent they shall perish," and "he that 
belie veth not shall be damned." But this does not make 
repentance and faith conditions or procuring causes of 
salvation — far from it, but it makes repentance and faith 
the way, the means, through which the divine and human 
sides of salvation coalesce, and become confirmed unto 
us, and in us, by experience and assurance; so that we 
can make our calling and election and inheritance and 
glorification through the means appointed, sure to our- 
selves; so sure that we may know him, who is life ever- 
lasting, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellow- 
ship of his sufferings, and by such means, attain unto that 
resurrection out from the dead. All of sin is human, all 
of salvation is divine, all acceptable service is the co- 
operation of the human and divine. 



